Understanding Figurative Language

Essential Questions

• What is figurative language?

• How can I interpret figurative language?

What is figurative language?Here are some examples. What do you think

figurative language means?• The wind whispered softly through the

trees.• The cafeteria pizza was a soggy, droopy

piece of cardboard.• The teacher glared like a furious dragon.• Jeff stayed up all night to study for the

test only to find out it isn’t until tomorrow.

What is figurative language?

The wind whispered through the trees

• Can wind really whisper?

• What is the author trying to tell us about wind?

What is figurative language?

• The cafeteria pizza was a soggy, droopy piece of cardboard.

• Is the pizza really cardboard?

• What is the author trying to tell us about the pizza?

What is figurative language?

The teacher glared like a furious dragon.

• Was the teacher really a dragon?

• What is the author trying to tell us about the teacher?

What is figurative language?Jeff stayed up all night to

study for the test only to find out it isn’t until tomorrow.

• Why did Jeff stay up all night?

• What is the author trying to tell us about Jeff?

What is figurative language?

• Figurative language expresses an idea that goes beyond the actual meaning of the words

• Wind can’t whisper…but the expression gives you an idea of how the wind sounds

Kinds of figurative language

Similes Metaphors Personification

There are actually many kinds of figurative language. In this presentation, we’ll focus on four

Irony

How can I interpret figurative language?

• To interpret figurative language means to understand what the author is trying to say

• To interpret figurative language, it’s important to understand how different kinds of figurative language work

How can I interpret figurative language?

Personification is a kind of figurative language

• Personification means to give human thoughts and qualities to nonhuman objects

How can I interpret figurative language?

The leaves danced as they fell from the trees

• What are the leaves doing that leaves can’t really do?

How can I interpret figurative language?

The leaves danced as they fell from the trees

• That’s right! Leaves can’t dance

• This is an example of personification

• What is the author trying to tell us about the leaves?

How can I interpret figurative language?

• A simile is another kind of figurative language

• A simile is a comparison between two unlike objects using “like” or “as”

How can I interpret figurative language?

The four students sat down at the cafeteria table and ate like pigs

• What is being compared in this simile?

How can I interpret figurative language?

The four students sat down at the cafeteria table and ate like pigs

• What is being compared in this simile?

How can I interpret figurative language?

The four students sat down at the cafeteria table and ate like pigs

• That’s right! The author is comparing the students to pigs

How can I interpret figurative language?

The four students sat down at the cafeteria table and ate like pigs

• What is the author trying to say about the way that the students are eating?

How can I interpret figurative language?

• A metaphor is another kind of figurative language

• A metaphor is a comparison that does not use “like” or “as”

How can I interpret figurative language?

• The school was a maze of hallways and passages

• What is being compared in this metaphor?

How can I interpret figurative language?

• The school was a maze of hallways and passages

• That’s right! The school is being compared to a maze

How can I interpret figurative language?

• The school was a maze of hallways and passages

• What idea is the author trying to express with this metaphor?

How can I interpret figurative language?

• Irony is another type of figurative language.

• Irony is a clash between what might be expected and what actually occurs.

How can I interpret figurative language?

• The cat was found in the belly of a fish.

• Why is this sentence ironic?

How can I interpret figurative language?

• The cat was found in the belly of a fish.

• That’s right! Fish are usually eaten by cats.

How can I interpret figurativelanguage?

• The cat was found in the belly of a fish.

• What is the author trying to express with this irony?

Let’s Review

• Which kind of figurative language makes a comparison using “like” or “as”?

• Simile

• Which kind of figurative language gives human thoughts and qualities to non-human objects?

• Personification

Let’s Review

• Which kind of figurative language makes a comparison without using “like” or “as”?

• Metaphor

Let’s Review

• Which kind of figurative language is a clash between what might be expected and what actually occurs?

• Irony

Practice

• Read the examples on the next few slides

• Which kind of figurative language do they show?

• How can you interpret the figurative language?

Example #1

The airplane landed as gracefully as a ballerina

• Personification• Simile• Metaphor• Irony

Example #1

The airplane landed as gracefully as a ballerina

• Simile

Example #1

The airplane landed as gracefully as a ballerina

Interpret the simile• What is the author

comparing?• What is the author

trying to tell us?

Example #1

The airplane landed as gracefully as a ballerina

Interpret the simile• What is the author

comparing?• What is the author

trying to tell us?

Example #2

The water smashed angrily against the rocks

• Personification• Simile• Metaphor• Irony

Example #2

The water smashed angrily against the rocks

• Personification

Example #2

The water smashed angrily against the rocks

Interpret the personification!

• What is the water doing that water doesn’t really do?

• What is the author trying to tell us about the water?

Example #3

My brother’s room was a dark, mysterious cave

• Personification• Simile• Metaphor• Irony

Example #3

My brother’s room was a dark, mysterious cave

• Metaphor

Example #3

My brother’s room was a dark, mysterious cave

Interpret the metaphor!

• What is the author comparing?

Example #3

My brother’s room was a dark, mysterious cave

Interpret the metaphor!

• Yes! The brother’s room and a cave.

• What is the author trying to show about the brother’s room?

Example # 4

The Titanic was called

unsinkable.

• Personification

• Simile

• Metaphor

• Irony

Example #4

The Titanic was called unsinkable.

• Irony

Example #4

• The Titanic was called unsinkable.

Interpret the irony!

What is the author telling us about the fate of the titanic?

Essential Questions

Can you answer these questions?

• What is figurative language?

• How can I interpret figurative language?

Work Cited

Kissner, Emily. "Understanding Figurative Language." Jan. 2010. Microsoft       PowerPoint file.