Figurative Language: Tropes

1. Figurative Language: Tropes Change in the meaning of words

2. Figurative language • is language that goes beyond the normal meaning of the words used. It’s language that is not meant to be taken literally. • (metaphors and similes are examples of figurative language) • Example: Her eyes are like two diamonds. (her eyes aren’t actually diamonds—it’s figurative, not literal)

3. What is figurative language? Here are some examples. What do you think figurative language means? • The wind whispered softly through the trees. • The cafeteria pizza was a soggy, droopy piece of cardboard. • The teacher glared like a furious dragon.

4. What is figurative language? The wind whispered through the trees Can wind really whisper? What is the author trying to tell us about wind?

5. What is figurative language? • The cafeteria pizza was a soggy, droopy piece of cardboard. • Is the pizza really cardboard? • What is the author trying to tell us about the pizza?

6. What is figurative language? The teacher glared like a furious dragon. Was the teacher really a dragon? What is the author trying to tell us about the teacher?

7. What is figurative language? • Figurative language expresses an idea that goes beyond the actual meaning of the words • Wind can’t whisper…but the expression gives you an idea of how the wind sounds

8. Types of Figurative Language • Simile - a comparison between two unlike objects using like or as. • Similes are easy to spot!! Examples: • The team’s center looked likea skyscraper. • My love is like a red, red rose. • We were as quiet asfrightened mice.

9. Types of Figurative Language Metaphor - a comparison between two unlike things that does not use “like” or “as” • A metaphor is a bit more sophisticated than a simile. • In a metaphor, a poet writes that X is Y. Readers understand that we are not to take the comparison literally, but that the metaphor helps us to see X in a new way. Examples: • My brother is a prince. • Richard was a lion in the fight. • Her eyes are dark emeralds. Her teeth are pearls.

10. Types of Figurative Language Personification – to give human thoughts and qualities to non-human objects. Examples: • John Milton calls time “the subtle thief of youth” (599). • Homer refers to “the rosy fingers of dawn” (599). • The stars smiled down on us. • An angry wind slashed its way across the island.

11. Personification (continued) The tree stoodtall and proud by the curving path • How is this sentence showing the tree doing something that trees don’t really do?

12. Practice: example 1 The airplane landed as gracefully as a ballerina. What is it? • Personification • Simile • Metaphor

13. answer: Example # 1 The airplane landed as gracefully as a ballerina. What is it? • Simile

14. Example # 1 The airplane landed as gracefully as a ballerina. Interpret the simile • What is the author comparing? • What is the author trying to tell us?

15. Practice: Example #2 The water smashed angrily against the rocks. What is it? • Personification • Simile • Metaphor

16. Answer: Example #2 The water smashed angrily against the rocks. What is it? • Personification

17. Example #2 The water smashed angrily against the rocks. Interpret the personification! • What is the water doing that water doesn’t really do? • What is the author trying to tell us about the water?

18. Practice: Example #3 My brother’s room was a dark, mysterious cave. What is it? • Personification • Simile • Metaphor

19. Answer: Example #3 My brother’s room was a dark, mysterious cave. What is it? • Metaphor

20. Example #3 My brother’s room was a dark, mysterious cave. Interpret the metaphor! • What is the author comparing? • What is the author trying to show about the brother’s room?

21. Types of Figurative Language Onomatopoeia (o no mat o pee ya) – a word that sounds like what it means Examples: buzz cock-a-doodle-doo whip

22. Onomatopoeia (continued) The onomatopoeic Snap, Crackle and Pop! -- Kellog’s Rice Crispies

23. Onomatopoeia (continued) "Onomatopoeia every time I see yaMy senses tell me hubbaAnd I just can't disagree.I get a feeling in my heart that I can't describe. . . .It's sort of whack, whir, wheeze, whineSputter, splat, squirt, scrapeClink, clank, clunk, clatterCrash, bang, beep, buzzRing, rip, roar, retchTwang, toot, tinkle, thudPop, plop, plunk, powSnort, snuck, sniff, smackScreech, splash, squish, squeakJingle, rattle, squeal, boingHonk, hoot, hack, belch." (Todd Rundgren, "Onomatopoeia")

24. Types of Figurative Language Allusion – referring to a person, idea, event, etc. from art, culture, or history to get across an idea. • Allusion means 'reference' • Allusion relies on the reader being able to understand the allusion and being familiar with the meaning hidden behind the words.

25. Allusion (continued) Examples: • She is the Brittany Spears of our school! • What would this mean about the girl he/she is describing? • Describing someone as a "Romeo" makes an allusion to the famous young lover in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

26. Types of Figurative Language Hyperbole – exaggeration used for emphasis • Often for dramatic or humorous effect Examples: • I’m so hungry I could eat a horse! • Could I literally eat an entire horse? NO! • Why would I say that if I didn’t mean it? • To show I am really, really hungry.

27. Practice: Is it hyperbole, personification, allusion, onomatopoeia, simile, or metaphor? 1. Alladin Jafar: Gazeem was obviously less than worthy. Iago: Wow! There’s a big surprise! I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die, from that surprise. Answer: hyperbole

28. Practice: Is it hyperbole, allusion, onomatopoeia, personification, simile, or metaphor? • 2. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery Austin: She's the village bicycle! Everybody's had a ride. Answer: metaphor

29. Practice: Is it hyperbole, allusion, onomatopoeia, personification, simile, or metaphor? • Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Cameron: What'd I do? Ferris: You killed the car. Answer: personification

30. Practice: Is it hyperbole, allusion, onomatopoeia, personification, simile, or metaphor? • Ghostbusters Egon: "I feel like the floor of a taxi cab." Answer: simile

31. Practice: Is it hyperbole, allusion, onomatopoeia, personification, simile, or metaphor? • Family Guy Tom Tucker: A bit of breaking news. A local family is forced out of their home by ghosts. Who are they gonna call? Diane Simmons (sighs): Ghostbusters, Tom. Tom Tucker: No, Diane. Their insurance company. That's just stupid what you said. Answer: allusion

32. Practice: Is it hyperbole, allusion, onomatopoeia, personification, simile, or metaphor? • Hot Shots! "I've fallen for you like a blind roofer.“ “I could never find time for love -- too heavy -- it's an anchor that drowns a man.” Answer: simile Answer: metaphor

33. Practice: Is it hyperbole, allusion, onomatopoeia, personification, simile, or metaphor? • Mary Poppins Mary Poppins: In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and - SNAP - the job's a game! Answer: onomatopoeia

34. Practice: Is it hyperbole, allusion, onomatopoeia, personification, simile, or metaphor? • Meet the Parents Greg "Gaylord" Focker: “The only way that I would ever let go of my bag would be if you came over here right now and tried to pry it from my dead, lifeless fingers, okay?” Answer: hyperbole