Literary Devices Literary Devices in in

The Selfish GiantThe Selfish Giant

Find out the Literary Devices Find out the Literary Devices by yourselves!by yourselves!Alliteration: Successive Words sounding

alike at the beginning.Repetition: Mentioning the same thing

over again.Personification: Adding human or

animate characteristics to an object.Hyperbole: Exaggerate the phenomenon

or action.

Alliteration Alliteration Successive Words sounding alike at the

beginning.‘It was a large lovely garden, with soft

green grass.’ – (Stripe F)

Why using alliteration?- Beauty of language- Poetic

RepetitionRepetitionMentioning the same thing over again.What does the writer emphasize?

'How happy we are here!' they cried to each other. - (Stripe F)

'How happy we were there,' they said to each other. (Stripe A)

Repetition (Cont)Repetition (Cont)Mentioning the same thing over again.What does the writer emphasize?'My own garden is my own garden,' said

the Giant; - (Stripe G)'It is your garden now, little children,' said

the Giant, (Stripe L)Not only Repetition, but also Contrast

A selfish giant became selfless!

PersonificationPersonificationAdding human or animate characteristics

to an object.The Trees:‘forgot to blossom’ (Stripe H)The trees were waving their arms gently

above the children's heads. (Stripe C)

Personification (Cont)Personification (Cont)The Flowers:‘Put its head out from the grass’ (Stripe

H)‘It saw the notice board it was sorry for

the children that it slipped back into the grass again, and went off to sleep.’ (Stripe H)

the flowers were looking up through the green grass and laughing. (Stripe C)

Personification (Cont)Personification (Cont)The Snow and the Frost:The only people who were pleased were

the Snow and the Frost. 'Spring has forgotten this garden,' they cried. (Stripe H)

the Frost painted all the trees silver. Then they invited the North Wind to stay with them, and he came. (Stripe H)

Personification (Cont)Personification (Cont)The North WindHe was wrapped in furs, and he roared all

day about the garden, and blew the chimney-pots down. (Stripe H)

The HailEvery day for three hours he rattled on the

roof of the castle till he broke most of the slates, and then he ran round and round the garden as fast as he could go. He was dressed in grey, and his breath was like ice. (Stripe H)

Personification (Cont)Personification (Cont)The AutumnThe Autumn gave golden fruit to every

garden, but to the Giant's garden she gave none. 'He is too selfish,' she said. (Stripe H)

Personification (Cont)Personification (Cont)Others:and the North Wind, and the Hail, and the

Frost, and the Snow danced about through the trees. (Stripe H)

Then the Hail stopped dancing over his head, and the North Wind ceased roaring. (Stripe I)

it was merely the Spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting. (Strip K)

Metaphor or Simile?Metaphor or Simile?Metaphor & SimileAssociate the original subjects/ objects

with other subjects/objects. Highlight the similar characteristics they share.

Simile ‘as ’ / ‘like’ v.s. Metaphor ‘be’and his breath was like ice. (Stripe H) 'but the children are the most beautiful

flowers of all.' (Stripe E)

HyperboleHyperboleExaggerate the phenomenon or action.And the Giant's heart melted as he looked

out. (Stripe D)Its branches were all golden, and silver

fruit hung down from them, and underneath it stood the little boy he had loved. (Stripe K)

Why Hyperbole?

Police reportPolice report

NameHome addressOccupationAgePhysical appearance

Mundane details: personal relationship; personality; incidents about the missing person, etc.

Missing dateMissing timeLast location he was witnessed

and last conversation he hadContact information