Figurative Language in Poetry Part 1

What is Poetry?
Poetry is different things to different people. For a moment, think about what poetry is for you. Write down 1 or 2 words that sum up poetry for you.

Objective
To identify metaphors, similes and personification in poetry

Why is this important?

Why do we need to identify things like metaphors, similes and personification in poetry?

What is Poetry?
the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts (dictionary.com)

What is Poetry?
Poetry:
Explore a persons feelings Tell stories of love, friendship, and life Stories of heroes, praise and sorrow Life lessons, dreams, and wishes

Check for Understanding

What is poetry?
What do poets communicate with poetry?

Poetry Terms
Poetry has certain vocabulary terms and tools that poets use to create the actual pieces of poetry.
What are some tools you can think of they might need?

Figurative Language Tools of Poets Figurative Language writing or speech not meant to be taken literally What you see or hear is not what they mean! Lets put on our thinking caps!

Metaphor
Describes one thing as if it were something else Does not use the words like or as in the comparison

Metaphor Examples
The classroom was a zoo this morning. The classroom was a zoo this morning.

Metaphor Examples

Love is a rose.
The Chargers were on fire! It was raining money.

Metaphor Examples - CFU

Which of the following is a metaphor?
A) The sun is like a ball of gas. B) The boy jumps like a kangaroo. C) The girls smile was sunshine. D) The boy was sad.

Simile
Uses like or as to compare two seemingly unlike things **Be careful! It is similar to a metaphor except it uses like or as

Simile Examples
He stormed into the meeting like a tornado. He stormed into the meeting like a tornado.

Simile Example

The girl looked like a million bucks!

The sunshine sparkled like gold. He was as fast as a cheetah.

Simile Example - CFU

Which one of these is NOT a simile?
A) The boy ran as fast as a cheetah. B) The girl cooked like Emerald! C) The man was the size of a house. D) The man towered over him like a house.

Personification
Gives human qualities to something that is not human Examples of non-human things: chairs, clouds, cars, bed, dirt

Personification Example

The car growled in the traffic.

The car growled in the traffic.

Personification Example

The grass danced in the breeze.

The rain gently sang me to sleep. The crows screamed danger as I passed by.

Personification Example
What does personification give?
A) human qualities to humans B) non-human qualities to humans C) non-human qualities to non-humans D) human qualities to non-human things

Review!
We learned about three forms of figurative language:
Simile uses like or as to compare Metaphor compares without like or as Personification human traits to nonhuman things

Figurative Language Quiz

1) The sun shook me awake is an example of a : A) Metaphor B) Simile C) Personification

Figurative Language Quiz

The girl slept like a log is an example of a: A) Personification B) Metaphor C) Simile

Figurative Language Quiz

The man was the size of a house is a: A) Metaphor B) Simile C) Personification

Video
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