FIGURES OF

SPEECH
DEFINITION

A figure of speech is
a literary device in which
language is used in an
unusual—or "figured"—way
in order to produce a stylistic
effect.
WHAT ARE THE TWO GROUPS
OF FIGURES OF SPEECH?
Tropes are figures of speech that involve a
deviation from the expected and literal
meaning of words.
Schemes are figures of speech that involve
a deviation from the typical mechanics of a
sentence, such as the order, pattern, or
arrangement of words.
The scheme/trope classification
system is by no means the only
way to organize figures of speech
 It is the most common method,
and is both simple and structured
enough to help you understand
figures of speech.
TROPES
a trope uses comparison, association, or
wordplay to play with the literal meaning of
words or to layer another meaning on top of
a word's literal meaning.
Metaphor, Simile, Hyperbole, Oxymoron,
Irony, Litotes, Metonymy, Onomatopoeia,
Paradox, Personification are examples of
tropes.
METAP
HOR
A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes
a direct comparison between two unlike
things by stating that one thing is another
thing, even though this isn't literally true.
 For example, if someone says "it's raining
cats and dogs," this obviously doesn't
literally mean what it says—it's a metaphor
that makes a comparison between the
weight of "cats and dogs" and heavy rain.
“He broke my heart.”
“It’s raining men.”
“She has such a bubbly personality.”
The world is an oyster.
SIMILE
A simile, like a metaphor, makes a
comparison between two unrelated things.
However, instead of stating that one thing
is another thing (as in metaphor), a simile
states that one thing is like another thing.
 For example:
Her hair is as golden as the sun.
OXYMORON
An oxymoron pairs contradictory words in
order to express new or complex
meanings.
For example: • Alone Together
Big baby • Deafening Silence
Open secret • Living Dead
• Clearly confused
Original copy
HYPERBOLE
A hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration of
the truth, used to emphasize the importance
of something or to create a comic effect.
An example of a hyperbole is to say that a
backpack "weighs a ton.“
No backpack literally weighs a ton, but to say
"my backpack weighs ten pounds" doesn't
effectively communicate how burdensome a
heavy backpack feels.
Example:
Waves mountain high broke over the
reefs.
My bags weighs a ton.
She cried a river when he left.
IRONY
Irony is a literary device or event in which
how things seem to be is in fact very
different from how they actually are.
Playing around with words such that the
meaning implied in the sentence or word is
actually different from the literal meaning.
Example: To cry like a baby, a fine way to
act for a man your age.
For example
Dramati
c Irony
LITOTES
Litotes is a figure of speech
and a form of understatement
in which a sentiment is
expressed ironically by
negating its contrary.
For example:
“Even in his elegant suit, I find
him not at all pleasing.”
“Even in his plain dress, I find
her not unpleasant.”
METONYMY
Metonymy is a type of figurative
language in which an object or
concept is referred to not by its
own name, but instead by the
name of something closely
associated with it.
For example:
I shall read Shakespeare and
Milton.
“Let me give you a hand.”
(Hand means help.)
ONOMATOPOEIA
Onomatopoeia is a figure
of speech in which words
evoke the actual sound of
the thing they refer to or
describe.
PARADOX
 A paradox is a figure of
speech that seems to
contradict itself, but which,
upon further examination,
contains some kernel of truth
or reason.
For example:
The screaming sound of
silence pierced my brain.
PERSONIFICATION
Personification is a type
of figurative language in
which non-human things
are described as having
human attributes.
SCHEMES
Schemes are mechanical—they're figures of
speech that tinker with words, sounds, and
structures (as opposed to meanings) in order
to achieve an effect.
Schemes can themselves be broken down in
helpful ways that define the sort of tinkering
they employ.
Alliteration is one of the examples of scheme.
ALLITERATION
In alliteration, the same sound
repeats in a group of words.
Alliteration uses repetition to
create a musical effect that helps
phrases to stand out from the
language around them.
ALLUSION
is basically a reference to something else. It’s
when a writer mentions some other work, or
refers to an earlier part of the current work.
In literature, it’s frequently used to reference
cultural works (e.g. by alluding to a Bible
story or Greek myth). Allusion also exists in
other art forms – musicians, for example,
frequently “allude” to melodies used by other
musicians.
For example:
He may be a Samson in body but
a Simon in mind.
Be no doubting Thomas or the
undecided Prince of Denmark.
ALLEGORY
Allegory is a figure of speech in which
abstract ideas and principles are described
in terms of characters, figures, and events.
It can be employed in prose and poetry to
tell a story, with a purpose of teaching or
explaining an idea or a principle.
The objective of its use is to teach some
kind of a moral lesson.
 EXAMPLE
 Animal Farm (By George Orwell)
 Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is an allegory
that uses animals on a farm to describe the overthrow
of the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, and the Communist
Revolution of Russia before WW I. The actions of the
animals on the farm are used to expose the greed and
corruption of the revolution. It also describes how
powerful people can change the ideology of a society.
One of the cardinal rules on the farm is this:
 “All animals are equal but a few are more equal than
others.”
The animals on the farm represent different
sections of Russian society after the
revolution.
For instance, the pigs represent those who
came to power following the revolution; “Mr.
Jones,” the owner of the farm, represents the
overthrown Tsar Nicholas II; while “Boxer” the
horse, represents the laborer class. The use of
allegory in the novel allows Orwell to make
his position clear about the Russian
Revolution and expose its evils.
CAESURA
Everyone speaks, and everyone breathes
while speaking. For instance, when you
say, “Maria has taken a break,” you take
breath before further saying, “But Adam
did not.” Then again you take a little breath
and say, “He fell on his ankle.” Such
pauses come from natural rhythm of your
speech. Poetry also uses pauses in its lines.
One such pause is known as “caesura,” which is
a rhythmical pause in a poetic line or a
sentence. It often occurs in the middle of a line,
or sometimes at the beginning and the end. At
times, it occurs with punctuation; at other times
it does not.
Poets indicate such a pause with a parallel
symbol thus: ||. Caesura can be medial
(occurring in the middle of line), initial
(occurring at the beginning of poetic line), or
terminal (occurring at the end of a poetic line).
EXAMPLES OF CAESURA
The headphone explodes, ||
breaking the mold
Roses, roses! || Two bucks a bunch!
They say
The boys in the street, || ready to
sell you.
DEUS EX MACHINA
The term deus ex machina refers to
the circumstance where an
implausible concept or a divine
character is introduced into a
storyline, for the purpose of resolving
its conflict and procuring an
interesting outcome.
The use of deus ex machina is discouraged, for
the reason that the presence of it within a plot
 is viewed as a sign of an ill-structured plot.
The explanation that the critics provide for this
view is that the writer’s sudden resort to
random, insupportable, and unbelievable twists
for the purpose of procuring an ending,
highlights the inherent deficiencies of the plot.
Hence, deus ex machina is a rather debatable,
and often criticized, form of literary device.
The term is Latin for “god out of the
machine,” and has its origins in
ancient Greek theatre.
It denotes scenes in which a crane
(machine) was used to lower actors or
statues playing a god or gods (deus)
onto the stage to set things right,
usually near the end of the play.
ANALOGY
An analogy is a comparison in which an idea
or a thing is compared to another thing that is
quite different from it.
It aims at explaining that idea or thing by
comparing it to something that is familiar.
Metaphors and similes are tools used to draw
an analogy.
Therefore, analogy is more extensive and
elaborate than either a simile or a metaphor.
EXAMPLE
These lines are taken from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Act II,
Scene 2:
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called…
Juliet is indirectly saying that, just like a rose that will always smell sweet
by whichever name it is called, she will love Romeo even if he changes
his name.
ACTIVITY
A B C D
E F G H
I J K L
M N O P

MAGIC NUMBER:___
A.Alliteration I. Paradox
B.Allusion J. Personification
C.Hyperbole K. Simile
D.Irony L. Litotes
E.Metaphor M. Analogy
F. Metonymy N. Allegory
G.Onomatopoeia O. Caesura
H.Oxymoron P. Deus ex Machina
SOURCES
 https://literarydevices.net/analogy/
 https://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/figure-of-speech
 https://literarydevices.net/allegory/
 https://literarydevices.net/caesura/
 https://literarydevices.net/deus-ex-machina/