Figurative Language

Metaphor

• describes something as something else that seems unrelated

• Purpose: it shows us what these two things have in common.

• Example: “A humorous suggestion was made that she sing the notes on her face…” (51)

Simile

• compares two things using “like” or “as”• Example: “…as lovely as the June night in her

flowered dress…” (76)

Personification

• gives human qualities to inanimate things• Example: “As my taxi groaned away…” (81)

“A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains in at one end and out the other like pale flags…” p. 8)

A figure had emergedfrom the shadow of my neighbor’s mansion and was standing with his hands in his pockets regarding the silver pepper of the stars” (p. 20).

It had seemed as close as a star to the moon” (p.93)

…this fifth guest’s shrill metallic urgency…” (p. 15)

“Your place looks like the World’s Fair” (p. 81).

“This is a valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills…” (p. 23)

Review

• “A small, flat-nosed Jew raised his large head and regarded me with two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril” (69).

Personification

“as drunk as a monkey” (76)

simile

“…the red, white, and blue banners in front of all the houses stretched out stiff and said tut-tut-tut-tut…”

(74)

personification

“flipped up their noses like goats at whosoever came near “ 62

simile

:lived like a young rajah” (65

simile

“the world and its mistress 61

Personification