Figurative amp Stylistic Language Devices that enhance and add interest to the written and spoken word 1 ImagerySensory Devices Purpose is to create an IMAGE in the readers mind using words to convey the five senses ID: 705276
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Poetry Terms & Examples
Figurative & Stylistic Language:Devices that enhance and add interest to the written and spoken word
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Imagery/Sensory DevicesPurpose is to create an
IMAGE in the reader’s mind using words to convey the five senses.
Simile
Metaphor Personification
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Simile
A comparison of two things using the words like or as
.
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Examples of a Simile
Bob is hungry as a wolf.Bob
and
wolf
are the two things being compared, using “as”
Sue smells like a rose.
Sue
&
rose
are the two things being compared, using “like”
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Metaphor
A comparison of two things without using like or as. (Things = person, place, thing, or thought)
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Examples of a Metaphor
Bob is a hungry wolf.Bob is compared to a wolf
.
Sue is a rose, filling the room with her sweet scent.
Sue (or Sue’s scent) and rose
are being compared.
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Personification
A type of metaphor in which non-human things or ideas possess human qualities or actions.
7Slide8
Examples of Personification
The wind whispered her name.Wind is being personified: “
wind whispered
”, because “
wind” can’t actually “whisper
.”
Justice is blind.
Justice
is being personified:
blind justice
, because
justice
has no actual eyes that could be
blind
ed.
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Sound Devices
Purpose is to create a RHYTHM or set the TONE in the poem.
Alliteration
Assonance
Onomatopoeia
Rhyme
(True/Pure
) Rhyme
Internal
Rhyme
Near/Half
Rhyme (or Impure rhyme)
Eye
Rhyme
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Alliteration
The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of neighboring words. (Consonants are all the letters except a, e, i, o, u, and y.)
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Examples of Alliteration
The dark dance of death whisked her away.Repetition of the “
d
” sound in “
dark d
ance of
d
eath
”
Like a lucky charm, he looks on.
Repetition of the “
l
” sound in “
L
ike
,” “
l
ucky
,” and “
l
ooks
”
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Assonance
The repetition of vowel sounds (within stressed syllables) of neighboring words. (Vowels are a, e, i, o, u, and y.)
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Examples of Assonance
Talking and walking, hours on end.Repetition of the “
ah
” sound in
“talking” “w
a
lking”
A turtle in the fertile soil.
Repetition of the “
er
” sound in “
t
ur
tle
” “
f
er
tile
”
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Onomatopoeia
Words which imitate the sound they refer to.14Slide15
Examples of Onomatopoeia
The eagle whizzed past the buzzing bees.“whizzed
” and “
buzzing
”Rip-roar fire, the gun stutters on.
“
Rip-roar
” and “
stutters
”
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True / Pure / End Rhyme
Words which end with the same sounds, usually at the end of lines.
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Examples of TrUE / PURE / END Rhyme
The deepest night
burning bright.
“
night” and “bright
”
A time to feel,
and a time to heal.
“
feel
” and “
heal
”
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Internal Rhyme
Rhyme within a line.18Slide19
Examples of Internal Rhyme
Bright night, a full moon above.“bright
” and “
night
”
We will stay today and then
we must go.
“
stay
” and “
today
”
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Near / Half / Impure
RhymeSlight or inaccurate repetition of sounds (also called impure rhyme).
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Examples of Near / Half / Impure
RhymeOn top of the hill,
the moon is full.
“
hill” and “
full
”
Give this to the man,
he’ll know what I mean.
“
man
” and “
mean
”
This as also called
consonance
when the consonants match (man/mean) but the vowel sound doesn’t.
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Eye / Sight Rhyme
Words that look like they rhyme (similar spelling), but do NOT rhyme
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Examples of Eye / SiGHT
RhymeListen to the water flow,
from above I don’t see how.
“
flow” and “
how
”
When the game is over,
a true champion we’ll discover.
“
over
” and “
discover
”
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Miscellaneous Devices
Hyperbole Irony/Paradox
Anaphora
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Hyperbole
An obvious and deliberate exaggeration (to emphasize something or for humorous purposes).
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Examples of a Hyperbole
I love you more than life itself.Love is exaggerated.
He could eat a horse.
His appetite is exaggerated.
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Irony
Saying the opposite of what you actually mean.
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Examples of Irony
Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.Surrounded by water in the ocean, but none of it is drinkable.
The directions were as clear as mud.
Obviously, they weren’t very clear directions (this is also a simile!).
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Paradox
A statement that seems to contradict or oppose itself, yet actually reveals some truth.
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Examples of a Paradox
It’s hard work doing nothing.Youth is wasted on the young.The more we know, the less we understand.
The less you have, the more you are free. (Or …the more you have.)
I can resist anything but temptation.
Her silence was deafening.
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Anaphora
The repetition of words at the beginning of clauses.Purpose is to add emphasis/meaning or build to a climax.EXAMPLE: “My life is my purpose. My life
is my goal.
My life
is my inspiration.”31Slide32
Epistrophe
The repetition of words at the end of clauses.Purpose is to add emphasis/meaning or build to a climax.Example: "For no government is better than the men who compose it, and I want the best, and we need the best, and we deserve the best."
(Senator John F. Kennedy, speech at Wittenberg College, Oct. 17, 1960)
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How Figurative & Stylistic Devices are used in Song Lyrics
Examples using the songs:“The River” by Garth Brooks“Crossroads” by Tracy Chapman“She” by Green Day
“One” by Metallica
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Examples of Simile
“The River” by Garth BrooksYou know a dream is like a river / Ever changing as it flows
Which two things are being compared?
Dream
and river
using the word “like”
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Trickier Example in “The River”
And I will sail my vessel / ‘Til the river runs dry / Like a bird upon the wind / These waters are my sky
Which two things are being compared
using a simile
?I
(the speaker) and
bird
using “like”
Re-wording the sentence helps to see the simile:
I
sail these waters
like a bird
flies through the sky.
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Examples of Metaphor
“Crossroads” by Tracy ChapmanSome say the devil be a mystical thing / I say the devil he a walking man
Which two things are being compared?
Devil
and
man
Take off the adjectives to get the two NOUNS that are being compared (not comparing
devil
with “
walking
man
,” just “man”).
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Are These Metaphors?More from “Crossroads”
I say the devil he a walking man (yes: devil & man)
He a fool
(devil/man & fool?)
He a liar (devil/man & liar?)
(a) conjurer
(devil/man & conjurer?)
and a thief
(devil/man & thief?)
Devil & man is a metaphor
Devil/man and fool is NOT a metaphor. “Fool” is an ADJECTIVE describing the man/devil
Same for liar, conjurer, and thief--he could actually BE all these things, so it is not a metaphor.
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Trickier Example of Metaphorfrom “Crossroads”
All you folks think you run my life / say I should be willing to compromise / I say all you demons go back to hell / I’ll save my soul, save myself
Which two things are being compared?
Folks
and
demons
Even though the speaker never says “folks are demons,” it is
implied
. When someone uses the cliché, “Go to hell,” they are calling that person a devil or demon--or a resident of Hell. The meaning of the metaphor is for the “folks” to stay out of other people’s business & let the speaker live her own life.
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Examples of Personification
“She” by Green DayWaiting for a sign / To smash the silence with the brick of self-control
What “thing” is given human-like qualities?
Sign
The “
sign to smash the silence
” because a “
sign
” cannot physically “
smash
” anything.
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Practice:Listen to “One” by Metallica
In this One song (that’s a pun), find examples of:
1. Simile
2. Personification
3. Alliteration4. Rhyme
5. Internal Rhyme
6. Near/Half Rhyme
7. Irony
8. Paradox
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Examples in “One”
1. Simile: Speaker/narrator and a wartime novelty2. Personification: “Darkness imprisoning me”3. Alliteration: “
…
s
cream / This terrible silence stops me”
4. Rhyme:
dream/scream, me/see, real/feel/reveal, etc.
5. Internal rhyme:
“Hold my
breath
as I wish for
death”
6. Near/Half Rhyme:
speech/hearing, myself/cell
7. Irony:
Machines keep him alive, but he wishes to die
8. Paradox:
Speaker can’t live, yet he can’t die; war is also the implied paradox: soldier sent to kill in order to save lives.
Kudos if you found an Eye Rhyme:
live/die
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Practice: Group work
With a partner or group, find school-appropriate song lyrics and pick out examples of figurative and stylistic devices.Which group can come up with the most examples in a single song in 15 minutes or less?
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43
Teachers: Here are the lyrics to the song examples.
The River by Garth Brooks
You know a dream is like a river,
ever changing as it flows.
And a dreamer's just a vessel
that must follow where it goes.
Trying to learn from what's behind you
and never knowing what's in store
makes each day a constant battle
just to stay between the shores.
And I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.
Like a bird upon the wind, these waters are my sky.
I'll never reach my destination if I never try,
So I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.
Too many times we stand aside
and let the water slip away.
To what we put off 'til tomorrow
has now become today.
So don't you sit upon the shore
and say you're satisfied.
Choose to chance the rapids
and dare to dance the tides.
And I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.
Like a bird upon the wind, these waters are my sky.
I'll never reach my destination if I never try,
So I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.
There's bound to be rough waters,
and I know I'll take some falls.
With the good Lord as my captain,
I can make it through them all.
And I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.
Like a bird upon the wind, these waters are my sky.
I'll never reach my destination if I never try,
So I will sail my vessel 'til the river runs dry.
Crossroads by Tracy Chapman
[performed by Tracy Chapman, 1988]
All you folks think you own my life
But you never made any sacrifice
Demons they are on my trail
I’m standing at the crossroads of hell
I look to the left I look to the right
There’re hands that grab me on every side
All you folks think I got my price
At which I’ll sell all that is mine
You think money rules when all else fails
Go sell your soul and keep your shell
I’m trying to protect what I keep inside
All the reasons why I live my life
Some say the devil be a mystical thing
I say the devil he a walking man
He a fool he a liar
conjurer
and a thief
He try to tell you what you want
Try to tell you what you need
Standing at the point
The road it cross you down
What is at your back
Which way do you turn
Who will come to find you first
Your devils or your gods
All you folks think you run my life
Say I should be willing to compromise
I say all you demons go back to hell
I’ll save my soul save myself
conjurer:
someone who conjures magic
conjure:
someone who orders or commands something or someone
She by Billie Jo Armstrong
(performed by Green Day, 1993)
Inspired by a poem titled “She”
She
She screams in silence
A sullen riot penetrating through her mind
Waiting for a
sign
To smash the silence
with the brick of self-control
Are you locked up in a world
That’s been planned out for you
Are you feeling like a social tool without a use
Scream at me until my ears bleed
I’m taking heed just for you
She
She’s figured out
All her doubts were someone else’s point of view
Waking up this time
To smash the silence with the brick of self-control
Are you locked up in a world
That’s been planned out for you
Are you feeling like a social tool without a use
Scream at me until my ears bleed
I’m taking heed just for you
Are you locked up in a world
That’s been planned out for you
Are you feeling like a social tool without a use
Scream at me until my ears bleed
I’m taking heed just for you
heed:
paying close attention
sullen:
somber; gloomy or showing irritationSlide44
44
One by James Hetfield & Lars Ulrich
(performed by Metallica, 1989; written in 1987)
I can’t remember anything
Can’t tell if this is true or
dream
Deep down inside I feel to
scream
This terrible silence stops me
Now that the war is through with me
I’m waking up I can not see
That there is not much left of me
Nothing is real but pain now
Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please God, wake me
Back in the womb it’s much too real
In pumps life that I must feel
But can’t look forward to reveal
Look to the time when I’ll live
Fed through the tube that sticks in me
Just like a wartime novelty
Tied to machines that make me be
Cut this life off from me
Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please God, wake me
Now the world is gone I’m just one
Oh God, help me hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please God help me
Darkness imprisoning me
All that I see
Absolute horror
I cannot live
I cannot die
Trapped in myself
Body my holding cell
Landmine has taken my sight
Taken my speech
Taken my hearing
Taken my arms
Taken my legs
Taken my soul
Left me with life in hell