striking language (e.g. metaphor, simile, personification) 

Another huge topic!

We might expect to find striking, unusual, memorable language in poems.  Perhaps descriptions which stretch our imagination, and help us to see or understand the world in a new or surprising way.

There are many technical terms used to describe ‘special’ language of the kind we might expect to find in poems.

You should be secure in understanding basic terms such as metaphor, simile, and personification.  As always, the exam will require that you explore the effects of such language, rather than simply to identify them accurately.

Here are some examples:

Metaphor

The car is a boat on a stormy ocean,

As we drive further into the wind-swept night.

Cars aren’t boats, but they can be boats in a poem.  What does the use of this metaphor bring to the couplet?

What does a poem gain when two dissimilar things are compared to each other?  What’s the point of similarity which makes a metaphor work?  

Metaphors can be extended, or ‘stretched’ over several lines of poetry, building up the effect of this clever use of language.

Simile

The car, like a storm-tossed boat,

Struggled as we drove on further into the night.

Cars aren’t boats, but in a poem, they can be like boats.  What does the simile add here?  Explore the poet’s choice.

Personification

The car bravely confronting the wild night

Struggling forward against the assault of the storm.

Cars aren’t brave people, but in poems they can be!  What’s the effect of the poet’s choice to personify the car?