POETIC

DEVICES
Figures of Speech
 ‘A figure is worth a
s’
thousand word
in
u se f ig u re s of speech
We e " to add
v e la n g u ag
"figurati en
u r a n d in te re st, and to awak
FIGURATIVE colo Figurative
im a g in a ti on.
LANGUAGE the m
u a g e is e v erywhere, fro
lan g
Figurative langua
ge is
w o rk s li ke Shakespeare
classic a l
the opposite of liter
al
le , to ev e ry d ay speech,
language. Literal or the Bib television
actly m u si c and
language means ex pop s the reader
at ive s . It m ak e
what it says. Figur commerci al
language means e n e r u se th e ir imagination
to or list more than
something different rs ta n d m u c h
(and usually mor e th an) and unde
.
what it says on the the plain words
surface:
LET’S SEE AN
EXAMPLE…

l)
● He ran fast. (litera

ind.
● He ran like the w
(figurative)

other
Can you think of an
example?
 FIGURES OF SP
EECH CAN MAN
IFEST IN DIFFE
RENT WAYS…
SIMILE
A simile is a figure
of speech that says
can use similes to m that one thing is like
ake descriptions m another different th
ore emphatic or viv ing. We
id.
THEY GENERAL
LY APPEAR IN PH
RASES CONTAIN
ING “AS…AS” O
R “LIKE”

- Her eyes were

as
A girl with bright as the su
n.
blue eyes
- Her eyes were A bright sun
bright like the
sun.
 POSSIBLE MEANING
EXAMPLES (depending on the conte
xt)

beautiful or even fragile

She’s like a rose.
very strong, explosive
ng as a volcano.
His temper was as stro
d not enjoying it
too much, devouring an
You eat like a horse.
e’s old,
very white, implying sh
as snow. she’s a wise woman
Her hair was as white
ud is opaque
not clear at all since m
clear as mud.
His explanation was as

the po em “I Have no Address”?

Can you find an example in
METAPHOR s us to use
ys tha t on e th ing is an oth er different thing. This allow
speech that sa
A metaphor is a figure of rities.
ord s an d fo rce s th e re ad er or listener to find the simila
fewer w
OM TH E G RE EK W OR D “METAPHERIN”
COMES FR
THE WORD METAPHOR ).
(MEANING “TRANSFER”

George is a sheep.

n imag ine that George is a

c of sh ee p? They fo llo w each other. So we ca
What is one characteristi etaphor.
r, no t a lea de r. In th is sentence "sheep" is a m
followe
poem “I Have no Address”?
Can you find an example in the
 SO, WHAT IT T
HE DIFFEREN
BETWEEN SIM CE
ILE AND META
PHOR?
Both similes and
metaphors link on
thing to another. A e
simile usually use
"as" or "like". s
A metaphor is
shortcut to meanin a
g, which omits "as
or "like." A m "
etaphor creates
relationship directl a
y and leaves more
to the imagination
.
HYPERBOLE strong
ex ag ge ra ted or ex tra va gant statement to create a
eech that uses an
Hyperbole is a figure of sp no t in tended to be taken literally.
fig ure of sp ee ch it is
emotional response. As a
USED FOR HUMOUR
HYPERBOLE IS OFTEN
.
He is older than the hills
horse!
I'm so hungry I could eat a

se?
ul d you complete this phra
la ng ua ge , to o. Take this example… How co
eryd ay
We use hyperboles in ev
n times…
I have told you a millio

poem “I Have no Address”?

Can you find an example in the
OXYMORON
An oxymoron is a
figure of speech th
contradiction create at deliberately use
s a paradoxical im s two contradictory
ag e in ideas. This
new concept or mea th e reader or listener
ning for the whole. 's mind that generates
a
SOMETIMES, TH
E CONTRADICTIO
N IS NOT NECES
SARILY IMPLIED
OPPOSITE TERM IN
S.
a living death

a deafening silenc
e
the sounds of silen
ce
a friendly fire
Can you find an ex
a mple in the poem “I
Have no Address”
?
ALLUSION of these
t re fer en ce s a pe rso n, pl ace, thing, or event. Each
speech tha
An allusion is a figure of an yth in g fro m fiction to folklore to hi
storical
aginary, re fer rin g to
concepts can be real or im
events and religious texts.

heel.
Chocolate is my Achilles’
Romeo.
This man was once a true
ticket.
She felt she got the golden
rd, bu t all you need is love.
I know things may seem ha

in the poem “I Have no Address”?

Can you find an example
SYMBOL
Symbol is a figure of sp
eech that uses an objec
place, word, or object ca t or a word to represent
n have symbolic meani an abstract idea. An actio
ng s. W hen authors want to sugg n, person,
emotion, they use symbo est a certain mood or
lism to hint at it rather th
an just blatantly saying
it.
WE CAN USE SYMBO
LISM IN EVERYDAY
LANGUAGE.
the color white stands fo
r purity
black represents evil
roses stand for romance
a butterfly symbolizes
transformation
a dog can represent loya
lty

Can you find an exampl

e in the poem “I Have n
o Address”?
PERSONIFICATION
an id ea or thin g is gi ve n human attributes and/or
e of speech in which
Personification is a figur
if it were human.
feelings or is spoken of as
AN
M O N FO RM O F M ET APHOR IN THAT HUM
A COM
PERSONIFICATION IS TR IB U TE D TO NO NHUMAN THINGS.
RE AT
CHARACTERISTICS A

is morning.
My alarm yelled at me th
ulted my intelligence.
The sign on the door ins
ac h is good for you.
This article says that spin

the po em “I Have no Address”?

Can you find an example in
ALLITERATION ally two or more
h in w hi c h a se ries of words, usu
figure of speec
Alliteration is a sa m e first consonant so
und.
s, h av e th e
neighboring word

weak and weary,

, while I pondered,
ONCE up on a midnight dreary

fo rgotten lore, —
r m any a q ua in t an d curious volume of
Ove

ere came a tapping.

I nod d ed , nea rl y napping, suddenly th
While
Allan Poe)
The Raven (by Edgar
ve no Address”?
ple in the poem “I Ha
Can you find an exam