Title: READ: Figurative Language
Course: English 9 (B)

Figurative Language

Similes

Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Figurative language goes beyond the literal meaning of words in order to furnish new effects or fresh insights into an idea or a subject. The most common figures of speech are simile, metaphor, and alliteration. We will cover simile, metaphor, and hyperbole this week.

Simile

A simile is a comparison drawn to how two things are similar. Similes often use "like" or "as" to make the connection between two things. In chapter 1 of Lord of the Flies, SamnEric are described using a simile: "The two boys, bullet-headed and with hair like tow, flung themselves down and lay grinning and panting at Ralph like dogs."

Here are some additional examples of similes:

"That shirt is like a lawn of grass."
"That ball is yellow like the sun."
"He fought like a bear."
"Her face shined like the sun."

Simile can also convey irony. This is done by saying a person or thing is like something, but then comparing them to something that is not like that at all. For example:

"He was as sharp as a bowling ball."
"He was smart as a brick."
"He was as smooth as a cactus."

Some similes are so well known, they have become cliches. These are phrases that many people have heard and are familiar with. It is better to avoid cliches when writing.

"Sharp as a tack."
"Clever as a fox."
"Strong as an ox."

Sources
Photo courtesy of RoyJr/Flickr
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/yorba/figurative_language.htm

Metaphors

Metaphors are often confused with similes because they are used in similar ways when writing. But where a simile say something is like something else, a metaphor is saying that something is something else. For example:

Simile: The shirt was blue like the ocean.
Metaphor: The blue shirt was a deep sky-blue.

Simile: Love is like a flower blossoming in the Spring.
Metaphor: Love is never having to say you're sorry.

Simile: His chin was like sculpted marble.
Metaphor: He's a computer, only thinking logically.

A metaphor from Lord of the Flies is "For a moment the boys were a closed circuit of sympathy with Piggy outside..." (21)

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is exaggeration. You can spot hyperbole easily when you see statements that aren't meant to be taken literally. Hyperbole is often used to convey emotion, and can be used for humor. Examples:
- That test took 40 years to complete!
- I must have walked a 100 miles.
- That man was as tall as a skyscraper.
- The hole was so deep I could see China.
- These groceries weigh a ton.

When a statement is true, but may be mistaken for a hyperbole, the words "literally" or "actually" may be used. When these words are used, the speaker or writer is saying that the statement is not an exaggeration, but is actually a fact. For example:
- We literally bought one ton of wheat.
- He actually spoke for 6 hours straight.