figurative language. alliteration the repetition of an initial consonant sound. peter piper picked a...

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Figurative Language

Alliteration

The repetition of an initial consonant sound.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Assonance

The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in neighboring words.

Examples:

He received three emails today.

The sailor said “hey” to Mae in passing.

Onomatopoeia

Words that are spelled like the sound they make.

Examples:

Bloop, boom, splash, spray, sprinkle, squirt, drip, drizzle, plop, whoosh, bubble.

Simile

A simile is a comparison of two items that are alike in one way using “like” or “as”

Examples:

As cute as a kitten

Busy as a bee

Happy as a clam

Metaphor

A metaphor is a word or phrase used to compare two unlike objects, ideas, thoughts.

Examples:

He is the apple of my eye.

She is the light of my life.

Symbolism

Symbolism is the practice of using an action, person, place, word, or object to represent an abstract idea.

Examples:

Black is used to represent death or evil.

Roses stand for romance or love.

Personification

It is when you assign human qualities to something that is not human.

Example:

The stars danced playfully in the moonlight.

The first rays of morning tiptoed through the meadow.

Hyperbole

A hyperbole is an extreme exaggerations used to make a point.

I’ve told you a million times…..

I am so hungry I could eat a horse.

I had a ton of homework.

Imagery

Imagery is pictures created by the mind or from memory.

On a starry winter night in Portugal.

Where the ocean kissed the southern shore.

He fumed and charged like an angry bull.

Irony

Irony is the use of words where the meaning is the opposite of their usual meaning or what is expected to happen.

The Titanic was promoted as being 100% unsinkable; but, in 1912 the ship sank on its maiden voyage.

Protagonist

A protagonist is the central character around whom the entire plot of the story revolves.

Examples;

Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, Lassie

Antagonist

A character (or an institution) that represents opposition which the protagonist is expected to stand up against.

Examples:

Voldemort, President Snow, The trip home

Theme

The definition of a theme is a topic or a recurring idea.

Examples:

Friendship, love, courage, loyalty, humor, irony, adventure, mystery, religion, horror.

Genre

Genre is a category of art, music, or literature.

Literature examples:

Western, mystery, adventure, humorous, horror, dramas, science-fiction, romance