Understanding 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.

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?

• 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

Imagery

Personification

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

How can I interpret figurative language?

The tree stood tall and proud by the curving path

• How does this sentence show personification?

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?

Simile

• 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 waves licked the shore like a kitten lapping milk

• What is the author comparing in this simile?

Metaphor

• 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 math test was a walk in the park

• What is being compared in this metaphor?

How can I interpret figurative language?

The math test was a walk in the park

• What is the author trying to tell us about the math test?

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

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

Example #2

The water smashed angrily against the rocks

• Personification• Simile• Metaphor

Example #3

My brother’s room was a dark, mysterious cave

• Personification• Simile• Metaphor

Mango Practice

• Read “Boys and Girls” and “My Name”

• After reading, with a partner make a list of 5 important word choices per vignette

• Make a list of all the figurative language you see in each section

Put your list of words up on the board

What type is it? What does it mean?

“I am a red balloon …tied to an anchor” (9)

“Songs like sobbing” (10)

“a wild horse of a woman” (11)

“as if she were a fancy chandelier” (11)

“sit their sadness on an elbow” (11)

“as if the syllables were made out of tin” (11)

AssignmentBased on her word choice and figurative

language how does Esperanza feel about boys and her name?

Discuss with a partner. Provide evidence for your claim.