Figurative Language

Figurative Language: 

Figurative Language Chapter 14, Everything’s an Argument, andamp; other sources

What Is Figurative Language?: 

What Is Figurative Language? Language that plays with the meanings or sounds of words to enhance imagery, add layers of meaning, direct the readers’ attention in a particular way or to add power. Tropes andamp; Schemes

TROPES: Metaphors, et al.: 

TROPES: Metaphors, et al. A metaphor compares two things (without using like, as, or similar language). Similes (use like, as, andamp;c.) Personifications Metonymy Synecdoche

TROPES: Metaphors: 

TROPES: Metaphors Compare two things without like or as Descriptive – 'Your eyes are stars.' Abstract – 'Mercy is the gentle rain that falleth from heaven upon the place beneath.' (paraphrase) Embedded – 'The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the windowpane…' Allegory is an extended metaphor

Metaphor & Simile Exercise: 

Metaphor andamp; Simile Exercise They were very lazy and slept all day They were lazy sloths and slept all day. The greedy oil companies destroyed the native culture. The greedy oil companies invaded like barbarian hordes and decimated the native culture. The woman cried a lot. The woman seeped tears like water from a spring.

TROPES: Personification: 

TROPES: Personification May be a metaphor or a simile Why use personification? The sun glories in his strength The ambitious cat strove to make himself leader of the neighborhood toms. The stubborn door refused to open. Exercise: The door slammed on his thumb. The shoe squeaked as she walked. The shrimp fled the fish.

TROPES: Metonymy: 

TROPES: Metonymy An attribute of the thing being described is used to indicate the whole 'Capital must talk to labor.'

TROPES: Synecdoche (I): 

TROPES: Synecdoche (I) Genus for species or species for genus 'Weapon' for sword 'Creature' for man 'Bread' for food 'Cutthroat' for assassin Part for whole 'Hands' for helpers 'Roofs' for houses

TROPES: Synecdoche (II): 

TROPES: Synecdoche (II) Matter for the material from which it is made 'Silver' for money 'Dust' for humans (in a Biblical context) 'Flesh' and blood for humans 'Steel' for sword

Metonymy and Synecdoche Exercise: 

Metonymy and Synecdoche Exercise Why use Metonymy andamp; Synecdoche? He drew his sword and cut the child down He drew his weapon and cut the child down The writer is more powerful than the soldier The pen is mightier than the sword The pundits had predicted that Minnie Mouse would be elected president The talking heads had predicted that Minnie Mouse would be elected president

TROPES: Stretching: 

TROPES: Stretching Hyperbole – 'My mother’s going to kill me' Satire – Humorous exaggeration of people, behavior or actions to make a point Parody – Exaggeration or distortion of a particular form or work (art, words, texts, film noir, pastorals, etc.)

TROPES: Shrinking, &c.: 

TROPES: Shrinking, andamp;c. Understatement – 'The presidential election has taken a little bit longer than expected' (Verbal) Irony – The significance of the statement is the opposite of the meaning of the words – 'Khruschev was such a well-mannered, self-controlled gentelman' (Situational) Irony – the outcome differs radically from the expectation.

Paradox & Oxymoron: 

Paradox andamp; Oxymoron Paradox - an apparent contradiction that induces a reconsideration of words in question. 'He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it' (Matt. 10:39). Oxymoron – two words which form a contradiction. Dry rain, burning cold, apathetic alertness, andamp;c.

SCHEMES: Sounds: 

SCHEMES: Sounds Onomatopoeia Swooshed Spat Crackle Ululation Growl Susurration Clack Murmur Alliteration Thou still unravished bride of quietness, Thou foster child of silence and slow time. By the margin, willow-veiled, slide the heavy barges, trailed by slow horses. And, unhailed, the shallop flitteth, silken-sailed, skimming down to Camelot.

SCHEMES: Juxtaposed Meanings: 

SCHEMES: Juxtaposed Meanings Parallelism – repeating a grammatical structure Antithesis – contrasting 2 opposites – most effectively employed in parallel It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

SCHEMES: Word Order: 

SCHEMES: Word Order Anaphora – repetition of a word for effect BASSANIO: Sweet Portia, If you did know to whom I gave the ring, If you did know for whom I gave the ring And would conceive for what I gave the ring And how unwillingly I left the ring, When nought would be accepted but the ring, You would abate the strength of your displeasure.   PORTIA: If you had known the virtue of the ring, Or half her worthiness that gave the ring, Or your own honour to contain the ring, You would not then have parted with the ring.

SCHEMES: Word Order (II): 

SCHEMES: Word Order (II) Tricolon crescans – three elements presented in increasing order 'Young man, sit in that corner and do not move, do not talk, do not breathe!' Inversion – changing the usually order of the syntax 'Ask not what your country can do for you; ask only what you can do for your country.'

Beware!: 

Beware! Clichés – figurative devices that have lost their energy through familiarity and long use. Mixed metaphors – changing image midway – also saps language of its power Unduly slanted language / connotations – inappropriate use of a particular image

Beware! - Examples: 

Beware! - Examples The political machine was as pervasive as kudzu, and it chewed up and digested unwary townspeople. The bus was like a growling dinosaur, belching smoke and fire. Mother Theresa distributed food to the orphans with the efficiency of a shark. Vote for Fred: he’ll slash taxes like an ax-murderer!

Life Without Figurative Language: 

Life Without Figurative Language My beloved is more handsome and potent than the other men... He has a handsome face and nice black hair. His eyes are handsome. His cheeks and mouth are manly and he has good breath. His hands are tan and strong; he has a sexy tummy. His legs are strong and his face exemplifies the qualities we like in our homeland. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.