Creative Nonfiction

https://davehood59.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/writing-creative-nonfiction/

What is creative nonfiction? It involves writing about personal experience, real people, or events. It is writing
about fact, rather than fiction. The writer can write about anything, such as a personal experience, current events, or
issues in the public eye. The writer can also inject personal thoughts, feelings, or opinions into the writing. Often, the
writer uses the first person “I.” Popular types of creative nonfiction include the personal essay, memoir,
autobiography, literary journalistic essay, travel writing, and food writing. Creative nonfiction is also known as
“Literary Journalism.”
This article identifies the techniques of creative nonfiction, defines the various types of creative nonfiction, provides
some guidelines, and lists several popular books and several resources to help the aspiring writing learn the art and
craft of writing creative nonfiction.

How to Write Creative Nonfiction

The creative nonfiction writer produces a personal essay, memoir, travel piece, and so forth, with a variety
of techniques, writing tools, and methods. He/she is required to use the elements of nonfiction, literary devices of
fiction, and what Lee Gutkind called “the 5 Rs of Creative nonfiction.” The following is a brief explanation of each:

Elements of Creative Nonfiction

The creative nonfiction writer often incorporates several elements of nonfiction when writing a memoir, personal
essay, travel writing, and so on. The following is a brief explanation of the most common elements of nonfiction:

 Fact. The writing must be based on fact, rather than fiction. It cannot be made up.
 Extensive research. The piece of writing is based on primary research, such as an interview or personal
experience, and often secondary research, such as gathering information from books, magazines, and
newspapers.
 Reportage/reporting. The writer must be able to document events or personal experiences.
 Personal experience and personal opinion. Often, the writer includes personal experience, feelings,
thoughts, and opinions. For instance, when writing a personal essay or memoir.
 Explanation/Exposition. The writer is required to explain the personal experience or topic to the reader.
 Essay format. Creative nonfiction is often written in essay format. Example: Personal Essay, Literary
Journalistic essay, brief essay.

Literary Elements
Creative nonfiction is the literature of fact. Yet, the creative nonfiction writer utilizes many of the literary devices of
fiction writing. The following is a list of the most common literary devices that writers incorporate into their nonfiction
writing:

 Storytelling/narration. The writer needs to be able to tell his/her story. A good story includes an inciting
incident, a goal, challenges and obstacles, a turning point, and resolution of the story.
 Character. The nonfiction piece often requires a main character. Example: If a writer is creating his/her
memoir, then the writer is the central character.
 Setting and scene. The writer creates scenes that are action-oriented; include dialogue; and contain vivid
descriptions.
 Plot and plot structure. These are the main events that make up the story. In a personal essay, there might
be only one event. In a memoir, there are often several significant events.
 Figurative language. The writer often uses simile and metaphor to create an interesting piece of creative
nonfiction.
 Imagery. The writer constructs “word pictures” using sensory language. Imagery can be figurative or literal.
 Point of view. Often the writer uses the first person “I.”
 Dialogue. These are the conversations spoken between people. It is an important component of creative
nonfiction.
 Theme. There is a central idea that is weaved through the essay or work. Often, the theme reveals a universal
truth.

The 5’Rs of Creative Nonfiction

Lee Gutkind, who is a writer, professor, and expert on creative nonfiction, wrote an essay called “The Five R’s of
Creative Nonfiction.” In this essay, he identified five essential elements of creative nonfiction. These include:

1. Creative nonfiction has a “real life” aspect. The writer constructs a personal essay, memoir, and so forth,
that is based on personal experience. He also writes about real people and true events.
 2. Creative nonfiction is based on the writer engaging in personal “reflection” about what he/she is
writing about. After gathering information, the writer needs to analyze and assess what he/she has collected.
He then must evaluate it and expression his thoughts, views, opinions. Personal opinion is permissible and
encouraged.
3. Creative nonfiction requires that the writer complete research. The writer needs to conduct research to
learn about the topic. The writer also needs to complete research to discover what has been written about the
topic. Even if a writer is crafting a personal essay, he will need to complete secondary research, such as
reviewing a personal journal, or primary research, such as interviewing a friend or family member, to ensure
that the information is truthful and factual.
4. The fourth aspect of creative nonfiction is reading. Reading while conducting research is not sufficient.
The writer must read the work of the masters of his profession.
5. The final element of creative nonfiction is writing. Writing creative nonfiction is both an art and craft. The
art of creative nonfiction requires that the writer uses his talents, instincts, creative abilities, and imagination to
write memorable creative nonfiction. The craft of creative nonfiction requires that the writer learn and deploy
the style and techniques of creative nonfiction in his/her work.

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction is about fact and truth. The truth can be about a personal experience, event, or issue in the
public eye. There are many categories or genres to choose from, such as the personal essay, memoir, and
autobiography. The following is a list of the most popular types of creative nonfiction:

 Personal Essay. The writer crafts and essay that is based on personal experience or a single event, which
results in significant personal meaning or a lesson learned. The writer uses the first person “I.”
 Memoir. The writer constructs a true story about a time or period in his/life, one that had significant personal
meaning and a universal truth. The writer composes the story using the first person “I.”
 Literary journalism essay. The writer crafts an essay about an issue or topic using literary devices, such as
the elements of fiction and figurative language.
 Autobiography. The writer composes his/her life story, from birth to the present, using the first person “I.”
 Travel Writing. The writer crafts articles or essays about travel using literary devices.
 Food writing. The writer crafts stories about food and cuisine using literary devices.
 Profiles. The writer constructs biographies or essays on real people using literary devices.

Guidelines for Writing Creative Nonfiction

Not only must the aspiring writer of creative nonfiction learn the techniques, but he/she also requires a
good understanding of the guidelines. The following are 12 guidelines for writing any type of creative nonfiction:

1. Research the topic. Both primary (interview, personal experience, or participant observation) and secondary
research (books, magazines, newspaper, Web)
2. Never invent or change facts. An invented story is fiction.
3. Provide accurate information. Write honestly and truthfully. Information should be verifiable.
4. Provide concrete evidence. Use facts, examples, and quotations.
5. Use humor to make an important point.
6. Show the reader what happened, don’t tell them what happened. To do this, dramatize the story.
7. Narrate the story. A story has an inciting incident, goal, conflict, challenges, obstacles, climax, and resolution.
8. Write about the interesting and extraordinary. Write about personal experiences, interesting
people, extraordinary events, or provide a unique perspective on everyday life.
9. Organize the information. Two common techniques are chronological or logical order.
10. Use literary devices to tell the story. Choose language that stimulates and entertains the reader, such as
simile, metaphor, imagery.
11. Introduce the essay or other work with a hook. Its purpose is to grab the readers’ attention and compel
them to reader further. Popular hooks include a quotation, question, or thought-provoking fact.
12. End the creative nonfiction piece with a final, important point. Otherwise the reader will think, “So what!”
“What was the point? It was an interesting story, but how does it apply to me or my life?”

Reading List
There have been many creative nonfiction books written about a wide variety of topics, such as divorce, abuse, and
happiness. To help the aspiring writer learn the art and craft of creative nonfiction, he/she ought read creative
nonfiction books by the best writers. By doing this, the writer acquires an appreciation for good writing and learns
how creative nonfiction is written. Some of the most popular creative nonfiction books include:

 In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

 Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer
 Paper Lion by George Plimpton
 The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
 The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolf
As well, there are several good books that are currently on many bestseller lists:

 Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

 The White Castle by Jeanette Walls
 Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson
 Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books, by Azar Nafisi
 Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert
 The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
 Nigh by Elie Wiesel

Magazines
There are also many popular magazines that publish all types of creative nonfiction, including:

 The Atlantic ( http://www.theatlantic.com/ )

 The New Yorker ( http://www.newyorker.com/ )
 Vanity Fair ( http://www.vanityfair.com/ )
 Esquire (http://www.esquire.com/)
 The Walrus ( http://www.walrusmagazine.com/ )

Resources for the Aspiring Writer

To write creative nonfiction, the aspiring writer must learn the craft. He/she can do this by taking a course or
through self-study. Both involve reading text books. The following books will help the aspiring writer learn how to
write creative nonfiction:

 Art of Creative Nonfiction by Lee Gutkind

 Writing Creative Nonfiction: The Literature of Reality by Gary Talese
 The Truth of the Matter: Art and Craft of Creative Nonfiction by Dinty W. Moore
 Contemporary Creative Nonfiction: The Art of Truth edited by Bill Roorbach
 On Writing Well by William Zinsser
 The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
 Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition): The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers.

Creative nonfiction (also known as literary nonfiction or narrative nonfiction or verfabula) is a genre of writing that uses
literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives.

ELEMENTS OF FICTION
The six major elements of fiction are character, plot, point of view, setting, style, and theme.
1. Character -- A figure in a literary work (personality, gender, age, etc). E. M. Forester makes a distinction between flat
and round characters. Flat characters are types or caricatures defined by a single idea of quality, whereas round
characters have the three-dimensional complexity of real people.
2. Plot –- the major events that move the action in a narrative. It is the sequence of major events in a story, usually in a
cause-effect relation.
3. Point of View -- the vantage point from which a narrative is told. A narrative is typically told from a first-person or
third-person point of view. In a narrative told from a first-person perspective, the author tells the story through a
character who refers to himself or herself as "I." Third –person narratives come in two types: omniscient and limited. An
author taking an omniscient point of view assumes the vantage point of an all-knowing narrator able not only to recount
the action thoroughly and reliably but also to enter the mind of any character in the work or any time in order to reveal
his or her thoughts, feelings, and beliefs directly to the reader. An author using the limited point of view recounts the
story through the eyes of a single character (or occasionally more than one, but not all or the narrator would be an
omniscient narrator).
4. Setting –- That combination of place, historical time, and social milieu that provides the general background for the
characters and plot of a literary work. The general setting of a work may differ from the specific setting of an individual
scene or event.
5. Style -- The author’s type of diction (choice of words), syntax (arrangement of words), and other linguistic features of
a work.
6. Theme(s) -- The central and dominating idea (or ideas) in a literary work. The term also indicates a message or moral
implicit in any work of art.

https://web.csulb.edu/~yamadaty/EleFic.html
Elements of Literary Nonfiction and Informational Nonfiction Texts
https://pdesas.org/module/content/resources/26559/view.ashx

Objectives

Students will examine the similarities and differences between literary nonfiction and informational nonfiction. Students
will:

identify informational nonfiction text structures.

compare/contrast author’s purpose and text structure of literary nonfiction and informational nonfiction texts.

cite evidence from a text to support an opinion about its genre.

Essential Questions

How do readers’ know what to believe in what they read, hear, and view?

How do strategic readers create meaning from informational and literary text?

How does interaction with text provoke thinking and response?

What is this text really about?

How do strategic readers create meaning from informational and literary text?

What is this text really about?

How does interaction with text provoke thinking and response?

How do readers know what to believe in what they read, hear, and view?

Vocabulary

Author’s Purpose: The author’s intent either to inform or teach someone about something, to entertain people, or to
persuade or convince the audience to do or not do something.

Climax: The turning point in a narrative, the moment when the conflict is at its most intense. Typically, the structure of
stories, novels, and plays is one of rising action, in which tension builds to the climax.

Conflict/Problem: A struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces, or emotions.

Summarize: To capture all the most important parts of the original text (paragraph, story, poem), but express them in a
much shorter space, and—as much as possible—in the reader’s own words.

Characterization: The method an author uses to reveal characters and their various personalities.

Literary Elements: The essential techniques used in literature (e.g., characterization, setting, plot, theme).

Rising Action: The part of a story where the plot becomes increasingly complicated. Rising action leads up to the climax,
or turning point.

Plot: The structure of a story. The sequence in which the author arranges events in a story. The structure often includes
the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution. The plot may have a protagonist who is opposed by an
antagonist, creating what is called conflict.

Resolution: The portion of a story following the climax, in which the conflict is resolved.

Setting: The time and place in which a story unfolds.

Theme: A topic of discussion or writing; a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work.

Text Structure:The author’s method of organizing a text.

Literary Structure: An organizational structure found in fiction or literary nonfiction (e.g., foreshadowing, flashback).

Nonfiction Structure: An organizational structure found in nonfiction (e.g., chronology, question/answer, cause/effect,
problem/solution, comparison).
Symbol

https://literaryterms.net/symbol/

I. What is a Symbol?

A symbol (pronounced SIM-bull) is any image or thing that stands for something else. It could be as simple as a letter,
which is a symbol for a given sound (or set of sounds). Similarly, every word is a symbol for the idea it represents. Flags
are symbols for nations. And of course, we have all sorts of visual symbols that we use every day: $ @ & =

However, symbols don’t have to be the kind of things you only find on keyboards. A tree might symbolize nature.
Einstein symbolizes genius in our culture. Anything can be a symbol, if we make it one. In literature, symbols are often
characters, settings, images, or other motifs that stand in for bigger ideas. Authors often use symbols (or “symbolism”)
to give their work with more meaning and to make a story be about more than the events it describes. This is one of the
most basic and widespread of all literary techniques.

However, authors don’t usually give us a roadmap to their symbolism, so it can take a lot of thought to figure out exactly
what the symbols in a work of literature stand for —to interpret them.

II. Examples and Explanation

Example 1

In Greek mythology, the Gods are all symbols for forces of nature – for example, Poseidon is a symbol for the sea. He is
extremely powerful, but also wrathful and unpredictable. By telling stories of Poseidon’s vengeful fury, the Greeks (who
were not great shipbuilders) symbolically delivered a message about how dangerous the sea can be.

Example 2

In our culture, Albert Einstein is the ultimate symbol of intelligence and scientific genius. When we simply see Einstein’s
iconic face on a T-shirt, book cover, or advertisement, we immediately know that whoever put that image there was
trying to say something related to extreme intelligence.

III. The Importance of Symbol

Symbols add layers of meaning to a story, poem, or other creative work. They enable an author to deliver an idea or
message within a narrative, a message on multiple levels. For example, an author might deliver a message about God by
writing a story about a large family, in which one or both parents are symbols for God, while the children are symbols for
humanity (and perhaps there are pets or a garden to represent the natural world). The story could be simultaneously
about family dynamics and about religion. In other words, symbols add depth.
In addition to using symbols in their writing, authors may also critique symbols that already exist in their culture (or
someone else’s). For example, apes in Western culture stereotypically symbolize humanity’s natural origins and the
primitive traits that we normally attribute to animals. If a person is acting rudely, stupidly, or violently, we might call
him an ‘ape’ or a ‘gorilla’ which expresses a negative view of wild nature, and human nature, in our culture. But in the
Planet of the Apes movies, this symbol is reversed – the apes are often more sympathetic, sophisticated, and intelligent
than the people, so they come to symbolize some of the best qualities of humanity as well as the worst. This makes the
movie a critique of popular ideas about humanity and nature: ‘human nature isn’t all bad and the badness in people isn’t
necessarily natural.’ At the same time, human beings normally symbolize civilization and humanitarian values, however
the cruelty of some of the people in movies makes humanity the symbol of brutishness instead of the apes.

IV. Examples of Symbol in Literature

Example 1

In The Raven, Edgar Allen Poe’s most famous poem, the huge black bird is a symbol for the narrator’s deep feelings of
loss, regret, mourning, and loneliness. Every time the narrator’s thoughts stray to his late wife, the raven croaks
“nevermore.” This is a symbol for the way the narrator’s mind constantly reminds him of his loss, causing him to sink
further and further into despair and sorrow.

Example 2

Robert Herrick’s poem To the Virgins uses a symbol of rosebuds in its first stanza. Since rosebuds only last a short time,
they are a perfect symbol for youth and all the pleasures that come with it. In the poem, Herrick exhorts the young
virgins to enjoy themselves and their youth before it goes away just like the rosebuds in summer.

V. Examples of Symbol in Pop Culture

Example 1

In the Lord of the Rings movies and books, the One Ring is a symbol for power, selfishness, and greed. Everyone wants it
and many characters are willing to kill for it. Some begin with good intentions, but ultimately the Ring corrupts them and
bends them to its will. The symbolism of the story implies that power seduces, corrupts, controls, and destroys people
who are attached to it, just as the Ring does to its owners.

Example 2

The band Led Zeppelin’s song Stairway to Heaven uses symbolism throughout its lyrics. The song itself is an allegory for
the disappointment that ultimately comes to those who seek wealth for its own sake; eventually, they realize that
money cannot buy happiness, and all the sacrifices they’ve made in order to increase their wealth suddenly become
meaningless. The symbols of “gold” and “buying a stairway to heaven” stand for wealth and, more broadly, for all the
material comforts that people lust after, but which ultimately cannot bring true fulfillment.

VI. Related Terms

Allegory
An allegory is a complex form of symbolism in which the entire story is a symbol for something else.

For example, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution and the rise of the Soviet Union.
Each of the characters is symbolic – Snowball represents Leon Trotsky, for example, while the cart-horse Boxer
represents the Russian working class. The novel as a whole describes Orwell’s interpretation of the events in Russia, and
warns of the dangers of Communism while simultaneously making a case that it was individual evil, not Communism as
an ideology, that caused the injustices of the Soviet Union. So an allegory is a big symbol that contains many symbols
within it.

Allegories have been used since ancient times to deliver stories about cultural values, heritage, and history. Ancient
mythologies often take the form of allegories for deep psychological and spiritual truths, while several stories in the New
Testament are allegories for Christian moral truths.

Metaphor

A metaphor is kind of like a symbol, but it’s usually used briefly (over the span of just a sentence or two), whereas a
symbol is usually extended throughout a story or poem. For example, take the common expression “bottled-up
emotion.” In this expression, the bottle is a metaphor for holding in feelings. However, if we had an entire work in which
bottles kept appearing at key psychological moments in the story, we might begin to suspect that the bottles were a
symbol for this emotional problem.

This is a grey area – what if a metaphor is extended across a whole stanza, or a chapter, but is absent in the rest of the
work? Is it still a metaphor, or is it a symbol? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter much at that point. If something is in the grey
area between metaphor and symbol, you can call it either.

https://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/e/types-of-irony

Three Types of Irony

By Rebecca Ray
Find more activities like this in our Middle School ELA and High School ELA Categories!
Do you want your students to understand the 3 types of irony in literature?
Do you want your students to be able to identify and explain irony on their own?
Do you want them to enjoy learning about irony?

Then you have come to the right place! Here at Storyboard That we have developed a few storyboards to help you
teach the three types of Irony. If you really want your students to learn the concept, check out the activities below
that will get them creating their own scenarios of irony or finding examples from your current unit!

What is Irony?

Irony is a literary device where the chosen words are intentionally used to indicate a meaning other than the literal
one. Irony is often mistaken for sarcasm. Sarcasm is actually a form of verbal irony, but sarcasm is intentionally
insulting. When you say, "Oh, great" after your drink has spilled all over your expensive new clothes, you don't
actually mean that the incident is positive. Here, using the word 'great' ironically indicates a higher negative
implication, even though the wording is positive.

Breaking Down the 3 Types of Irony

Verbal Irony The use of words to mean something different than what they appear to mean.

Situational Irony The difference between what is expected to happen and what actually happens.

Dramatic Irony When the audience is more aware of what is happening than a character.
The angle of a news or feature story is the story's point or theme, most often expressed in the lede of the
article. It's the lens through which the writer filters the information he or she has gathered and focuses it to
make it meaningful to viewers or readers. (https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-story-angle-2073756)

Symbolism
https://literarydevices.net/symbolism/

Definition of Symbolism

Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities, by giving them symbolic
meanings that are different from their literal sense.

Symbolism can take different forms. Generally, it is an object representing another, to give
an entirely different meaning that is much deeper and more significant. Sometimes,
however, an action, an event or a word spoken by someone may have a symbolic value.
For instance, “smile” is a symbol of friendship. Similarly, the action of someone smiling at
you may stand as a symbol of the feeling of affection which that person has for you.

Symbols do shift their meanings depending on the context they are used in. “A chain,” for
example, may stand for “union” as well as “imprisonment”. Thus, symbolic meaning of an
object or an action is understood by when, where, and how it is used. It also depends on
who reads the work.

Common Examples of Symbolism in Everyday Life

In our daily life, we can easily identify objects that can be taken as examples of
symbolism, such as the following:

 The dove is a symbol of peace.

 A red rose, or the color red, stands for love or romance.
 Black is a symbol that represents evil or death.
 A ladder may stand as a symbol for a connection between heaven and earth.
 A broken mirror may symbolize separation.

Short Examples of Symbolism in Sentences

1. Ching Chua gave his wife a red rose. (In Chinese culture, the color red symbolizes
property and happiness.)
2. David stopped his car at the red signal. (In other cultures, the color red is symbol of
blood, passion, and danger.)
3. Rebels raised a white flag to negotiate. (During war, the color white symbolizes
making peace with the enemy. Otherwise, it represents purity and life.)
4. The Red Cross is working around the world. (The symbol of the cross represents
Christianity, and the red cross in particular represents aid in times of need.)
5. The Muslim forces raised their flag with a crescent on it. (The crescent moon
represents Islam.)
6. He turned green when found a wallet. (Green color is often associated with greed,
jealousy, and monetary affairs.)
7. They dressed in black to the funeral of their friend. (The color black is associated
with death.)
8. The yellow boat turned into the channel, to make the tourists happy. The color
yellow color is the symbol of deterioration and infidelity, as well as the symbol of
freshness and happiness.)
9. He was disappointed when the mirror broke. (Broken mirror is an symbol of
separation.)
 10. He gave a red rose to his wife on Valentine Day. (Red rose is a symbol for
love.)
11. He, after a long time, saw a silver lining in the shape of the arrival of his
brother. (Silver edge/lining of clouds symbolize hope and optimism.)
12. You have a sixth sense like an owl. (Owl symbolizes wisdom.)
13. You work like an ox. (The ox symbolizes hard work and stamina.)
14. When he saw a bat in dream, he grew white with fear. (Bats are the symbol of
death.)

Examples of Symbolism in Literature

To develop symbolism in his work, a writer utilizes other figures of speech, like metaphors,
similes, and allegory, as tools. Some symbolism examples in literature are listed below
with brief analysis:

Example #1: As you Like It (By William Shakespeare)

We find symbolic value in Shakespeare’s famous monologue in his play As you Like It:

“All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;
they have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,”

These lines are symbolic of the fact that men and women, in the course of their lives,
perform different roles. “A stage” here symbolizes the world, and “players” is a symbol for
human beings.

Example #2: Ah Sunflower (By William Blake)

William Blake goes symbolic in his poem Ah Sunflower. He says:

“Ah Sunflower, weary of time,

Who countest the steps of the sun;
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveler’s journey is done;”

Blake uses a sunflower as a symbol for human beings, and “the sun” symbolizes life.
Therefore, these lines symbolically refer to their life cycle and their yearning for a never-
ending life.

Example #3: Wuthering Heights (By Emily Bronte)

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights presents almost every character, house, surroundings,
and events in a symbolic perspective. The word “Wuthering,” which means “stormy,”
represents the wild nature of inhabitants. The following lines allow us to look into the
symbolic nature of two characters:

“My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods. Time will change it; I’m well aware, as
winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath a
source of little visible delight, but necessary.”

The phrase “foliage of leaves” for is a symbol for Linton’s fertile and civilized nature. On
the contrary, Heathcliff is likened to an “eternal rock,” which symbolizes his crude and
unbendable nature.
Example #4: Wild Asters (By Sara Teasdale)

Sara Teasdale in her poem Wild Asters develops a number of striking symbols:

“In the spring, I asked the daisies

If his words were true,
And the clever, clear-eyed daisies
Always knew.

Now the fields are brown and barren,

Bitter autumn blows,
And of all the stupid asters
Not one knows.”

In the above lines, “spring” and “daisies” are symbols of youth. “Brown and barren” are
symbols of transition from youth to old age. Moreover, “Bitter autumn” symbolizes death.

Example #5: The Rain (By William H. Davies)

“I hear leaves drinking rain;

I hear rich leaves on top
Giving the poor beneath
Drop after drop;
Tis a sweet noise to hear
These green leaves drinking near.”

In this beautiful poem, William Davies who has used the symbol of rain to show the
different classes of society. He does this by describing the way the upper leaves benefit
from the rain first, and then hand down the rest to the lower leaves. The same way, rich
people pass on the leftover benefits to the poor people.

Example #6: My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold (By William Wordsworth)

“My heart leaps up when I behold

A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old, …”

In this poem, the poet uses rainbow as a symbol of hope and general wellbeing
throughout his life.

Example #7: XXIII, Crossing Alone the Nighted Ferry (By A. E. Housman)

“Crossing alone the nighted ferry

With the one coin for fee,
Whom, on the wharf of Lethe waiting,
Count you to find? Not me.”

The poet has used the symbol of a river to represent life and the past memories
associated with it.

Function of Symbolism

Symbolism gives a writer freedom to add double levels of meanings to his work: a literal
one that is self-evident, and the symbolic one whose meaning is far more profound than
the literal. Symbolism, therefore, gives universality to the characters and the themes of a
piece of literature. Symbolism in literature evokes interest in readers as they find an
opportunity to get an insight into the writer’s mind on how he views the world, and how he
thinks of common objects and actions, having broader implications.

Examples of Symbolism
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-symbolism.html

Symbolism is the practice or art of using an object or a word to represent an abstract idea. An action, person, place,
word, or object can all have a symbolic meaning.
When an author wants to suggest a certain mood or emotion, he can also use symbolism to hint at it, rather than just
blatantly saying it. Let's explore some examples of symbolism in the arts and our everyday lives.

Symbolism in Everyday Life

Our language contains an immense number of symbols whose intended meaning or significance is well-known and
accepted by the majority. Of course, many of these do wind up in books, magazines, stories, and other written works.

Symbolic Colors
Symbolism is often found in colors:
 Black is used to represent death or evil.
 White stands for life and purity.
 Red can symbolize blood, passion, danger, or immoral character.
 Purple is a royal color.
 Yellow stands for violence or decay.
 Blue represents peacefulness and calm.

Symbolic Objects
Everyday objects are often used to symbolize something else:
 A chain can symbolize the coming together of two things.
 A ladder can represent the relationship between heaven and earth or ascension.
 A mirror can denote the sun but, when it is broken, it can represent an unhappy union or a separation.

Flowers as Symbols
Even flowers possess symbolism:
 Roses stand for romance.
 Violets represent shyness.
 Lilies stand for beauty and temptation.
 Chrysanthemums represent perfection.

Animals as Symbols
When we read a book or enjoy a poem, any animals added to the story can convey a message or work as part of
the theme. Let's take a look at a few examples:
 A bear might represent courage or danger.
 A butterfly can symbolize great transformation.
 A dog often stands for loyalty or devotion.
 A serpent might symbolize corruption or darkness.
Weather as Symbols
Also in works of literature, a writer might spend a moment describing the weather in a particular scene. This is likely
for a reason. Let's take a look at a few examples:
 Fog might represent a bad omen or something terrible on the horizon.
 Storms usually symbolize hostility or turmoil.
 Snow often comes with a message of calmness or purity.
 Wind might be used to symbolize power or strength.

Metaphors as Symbolism
A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses symbolism. It compares two things that aren't similar and proves they
actually have something in common. In a metaphor, there is an additional meaning to a word. This makes it an
example of symbolism.
Examples of symbolism that take the form of metaphors include:
 Time is money: This is symbolic because it warns you that, when you spend your time, you're giving up the
opportunity to be doing something else with that time (like making more money). Just as when you spend your
money, you give up your chance to do something else with the money. Further, like money, time is finite.
 Life's a roller-coaster: This is symbolic because it indicates that there will be ups and downs in life that you
have to weather.
 He's my rock: This is symbolic because it signifies he's strong and dependable. He will keep you grounded.
 Love is a jewel: This is symbolic because it suggests that love is rare and precious.

Allegory as Symbolism
Sometimes symbolism takes the form of a literary tool called an allegory. An allegory is an extended use of
symbolism and metaphors. A story, a poem, or even a whole book can be an allegory and the symbolism will
permeate throughout.
One example of an allegory is the monologue from Shakespeare in his play As You Like It.
All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; And
one man in his time plays many parts.
This is symbolic of the fact that people are putting on a show and that they play many roles over the course of their
lives.

Symbolism in Art
Typically, artists want to say something with their work and symbols are a great way for them to communicate. In
this medium, symbols are often tangible items, like an animal, object, or plant.
Symbolism can also be found in the very colors artists choose to paint with. Colors convey various messages.
Perhaps an artist will use a lot of white to emote hope or black to indicate sadness. Let's consider two important
periods in art history and see how symbolism affected the work produced during that time.

Renaissance Period
During the Renaissance period, a lot of the art was Biblical in nature. This was done so people who couldn't read or
write could still understand the messages from the Bible.
As such, we saw a lot of serpents (representing the devil), lambs (representing peace), gardens (representing
paradise), and crosses (representing Jesus' sacrifice).

Roaring Twenties
During the Roaring Twenties, there began a period of experimentation and freedom. Masters like Picasso, De Gaulle,
and Chagall made their mark.
Another famous fellow was Paul Klee, a Swiss painter known for his extensive use of symbolism. Some of his
favorite symbols were stick figures, moon faces, fish, and arrows. He wanted to express a different, simpler reality
than the complex material world we live in.
Symbolism in Literature
Symbolism is often used by writers to enhance their writing. Symbolism can give a literary work more richness and
color and can make the meaning of the work deeper.
In literature, symbolism can take many forms, including:
 A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal meaning
 The actions of a character, word, action, or event that have a deeper meaning in the context of the whole story

Brokeback Mountain
In this excerpt from Annie Proulx's Brokeback Mountain. You can feel the torment Ennis is experiencing over the
loss of a great love, as symbolized by the two shirts.
At the north end of the closet, a tiny jog in the wall made a slight hiding place and here, stiff with long suspension
from a nail, hung a shirt. He lifted it off the nail. Jack's old shirt from Brokeback days. The dried blood on the sleeve
was his own blood, a gushing nosebleed on the last afternoon on the mountain when Jack, in their contortionistic
grappling and wrestling, had slammed Ennis's nose hard with his knee.
The shirt seemed heavy until he saw there was another shirt inside it, the sleeves carefully worked down inside Jack's
sleeves. It was his own plaid shirt, lost, he'd thought, long ago in some damn laundry, his dirty shirt, the pocket
ripped, buttons missing, stolen by Jack and hidden here inside Jack's own shirt, the pair like two skins, one inside the
other, two in one. He pressed his face into the fabric and breathed in slowly through his mouth and nose, hoping for
the faintest smoke and mountain sage and salty sweet stink of Jack, but there was no real scent, only the memory of
it, the imagined power of Brokeback Mountain of which nothing was left but what he held in his hands.
See the article Examples of Symbolism in Literature for more uses in great literary works. For more on figures of
speech, check out some Examples of Rhetorical Devices in literature.

Symbolism in Poetry
Many poets used symbolism to deepen the meaning of their poems. Here's an example from Sara Teasdale. In her
poem "Wild Asters," Teasdale makes use of nature, specifically the spring and daisies, to symbolize youth.

Wild Asters
In the spring I asked the daisies
If his words were true,
And the clever, clear-eyed daisies
Always knew.
Now the fields are brown and barren,
Bitter autumn blows,
And of all the stupid asters
Not one knows.

Figures of Speech
https://literaryterms.net/figures-of-speech/

I. What are Figures of Speech?

A figure of speech is a word or phrase using figurative language—language that has other
meaning than its normal definition. In other words, figures of speeches rely on implied or
suggested meaning, rather than a dictionary definition. We express and develop them
through hundreds of different rhetorical techniques, from specific types
like metaphors and similes, to more general forms like sarcasm and slang.

Figures of speech make up a huge portion of the English language, making it more creative,
more expressive, and just more interesting! Many have been around for hundreds of years—
some even thousands—and more are added to our language essentially every day. This
article will focus on a few key forms of figures of speech, but remember, the types are
nearly endless!

III. Types of Figure of Speech

There are countless figures of speech in every language, and they fall into hundreds of
categories. Here, though, is a short list of some of the most common types of figure of
speech:

A. Metaphor
Many common figures of speech are metaphors. That is, they use words in a manner other
than their literal meaning. However, metaphors use figurative language to
make comparisons between unrelated things or ideas. The “peak of her career,” for
example, is a metaphor, since a career is not a literal mountain with a peak, but the metaphor
represents the idea of arriving at the highest point of one’s career.
B. Idiom
An idiom is a common phrase with a figurative meaning. Idioms are different from other
figures of speech in that their figurative meanings are mostly known within a particular
language, culture, or group of people. In fact, the English language alone has about 25,000
idioms. Some examples include “it’s raining cats and dogs” when it is raining hard, or “break
a leg” when wishing someone good luck.
Example
This sentence uses an idiom to make it more interesting:
There’s a supermarket and a pharmacy in the mall, so if we go there, we can kill two birds with one stone.
The idiom is a common way of saying that two tasks can be completed in the same amount
of time or same place.

C. Proverb
A proverb is a short, commonplace saying that is universally understood in today’s language
and used to express general truths. “Don’t cry over spilt milk” is a popular example. Most
proverbs employ metaphors (e.g. the proverb about milk isn’t literally about milk).
Example
This example uses a proverb to emphasize the situation:
I know you think you’re going to sell all of those cookies, but don’t count your chickens before they hatch!
Here, “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” means that you shouldn’t act like
something has happened before it actually does.

D. Simile
A simile is a very common figure of speech that uses the words “like” and “as” to compare
two things that are not related by definition. For example, “he is as tall as a mountain,”
doesn’t mean he was actually 1,000 feet tall, it just means he was really tall.

Example
This example uses a simile for comparison:
The internet is like a window to the world—you can learn about everything online!
The common phrase “window to the world” refers to a hypothetical window that lets you see
the whole world from it. So, saying the internet is like a window to the world implies that it
lets you see anything and everything.
E. Oxymoron
An oxymoron is when you use two words together that have contradictory meanings. Some
common examples include small crowd, definitely possible, old news, little giant, and so on.

F. Metonym
A metonym is a word or phrase that is used to represent something related to bigger
meaning. For example, fleets are sometimes described as being “thirty sails strong,”
meaning thirty (curiously, this metonym survives in some places, even when the ships in
question are not sail-powered!) Similarly, the crew on board those ships may be described
as “hands” rather than people.

G. Irony
Irony is when a word or phrase’s literal meaning is the opposite of its figurative meaning.
Many times (but not always), irony is expressed with sarcasm (see Related Terms). For
example, maybe you eat a really bad cookie, and then say “Wow, that was the best cookie I
ever had”—of course, what you really mean is that it’s the worst cookie you ever had, but
being ironic actually emphasizes just how bad it was!

IV. The Importance of Figures of Speech

In general, the purpose of a figure of speech is to lend texture and color to your writing.
(This is itself a figure of speech, since figures of speech don’t actually change the colors or
textures on the page!) For instance, metaphors allow you to add key details that make the
writing more lively and relatable. Slang and verbal irony, on the other hand, make the
writing seem much more informal and youthful (although they can have the opposite effect
when misused!) Finally, other figures of speech, like idioms and proverbs, allows a writer to
draw on a rich cultural tradition and express complex ideas in a short space.

V. Examples of Figures of Speech in Literature

Example 1
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits
and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.” (William Shakespeare, As
You Like It)
This is one of the most famous metaphors ever crafted in the English language.
Shakespeare uses his extended metaphor to persuade the audience of the similarities
between the stage and real life. But rather than making his play seem more like life, he
suggests that life is more like a play. His metaphor calls attention to the performative,
creative, and fictional aspects of human life.
Example 2
“Our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind.” (Khalil Gibran, Sand &
Foam)
Gibran’s timeless metaphor succeeds for a number of reasons. For one thing, it is not a
cliché – had Gibran said “words are just the tip of the iceberg,” he would have been making
roughly the same point, but in a much more clichéd way. But the feast of the mind is a
highly original metaphor. In addition, it’s a successful double metaphor. The crumbs and the
feast are two parts of the same image, but they work together rather than being
“mixed” (see How to Use Figures of Speech).
Example 3
“If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both.” (Russian Proverb)

Like many proverbs, this one draws on a simple metaphor of chasing rabbits. The rabbits
can stand in for all sorts of objectives, from jobs to relationships, but the coded message is
quite clear – focus your energy on a single objective, or you will likely fail. This literal
statement, though, is quite dry and not terribly memorable, which shows the power of
figures of speech.

VI. Examples of Figures of Speech in Pop Culture

Example 1
The chorus to Sean Kingston’s Fire Burning contains a couple of figures of speech. First of all,
there’s the word “shorty” used as a slang term (see Related Terms) for a young woman. She
may or may not be literally short, but the figure of speech applies either way (though it
could easily be taken as belittling and derogatory). Second, Kingston sings the metaphor:
“she’s fire, burning on the dance floor.” Hopefully this is a figure of speech and not a literal
statement; otherwise, Kingston and everyone else in the club are in mortal danger!
Example 2
“Oh, thanks! This is much better!” (Townspeople, South Park)
This is an example of irony. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, South Park satirized the
government’s response to the disaster by writing about a similar disaster in South Park. In a
bumbling effort to rescue people from the floods, the authorities accidentally spill oil on the
flood waters and set it on fire, making the situation far more dangerous. In response, they
ironically “thank” the people responsible—their meaning is obviously the opposite of their
words!
Example 3
Years of talks between Washington and Havana resulted in Obama’s historic visit to Cuba on
March 21st. (Patreon 2016)
This is a common form of metonym in foreign policy and news media. The capital city of a
country is used as a metonym for the national government. The talks, of course, are not
literally between these two cities, but between the leaders and government officials of the
two countries (US and Cuba).

VII. Related Terms

Literal and Figurative Language

Language is generally divided into two categories: literal, and figurative. Literal language
relies on the real definition of words and phrases, or their literal meanings. Figurative
language, on the other hand, relies on implied meanings, which can be understood
differently depending on the location or who is using it. For example, “the sky is blue” relies
on the literal definition of the word “blue,” while “I am feeling blue” relies on the figurative
definition. All figures of speech rely on the use of figurative language for their meaning.

Sarcasm
Sarcasm is mocking or bitter language that we use to express different meaning than what
we say; often the exact opposite. When your intended meaning is the opposite of the literal
meaning, that’s irony (another type of figure of speech), which includes common phrases
like “Oh, great…” when you really mean something is bad.

Slang
Slang is language that uses atypical words and phrases to express specific meanings. It
varies greatly by region, demographic, and language—for example, you would find different
slang in the U.S. and in the U.K. even though they are both English speaking countries.
Likewise, teenagers and the elderly will use different slang terms, as would Spanish and
English. Many slang terms are figures of speech. For example, “bro” could be used to
describe a friend rather than an actual brother; this would be using the word as a figure of
speech.