Examples of Figurative Language
Examples of Figurative Language
Examples of Figurative Language
Figurative language refers to the color we use to amplify our writing. It takes an ordinary
statement and dresses it up in an evocative frock. It gently alludes to something without directly
stating it. Figurative language is a way to engage your readers, ushering them through your
writing with a more creative tone.
Although it's often debated how many "types" of figurative language there are, it's safe to say
there are at least five distinct categories. They are: metaphors, similes, personification,
hyperbole, and symbolism.
In this article, we'll highlight the main branches of the tree, or "the big five." In truth, this is only
scratching the surface. There are waves of other literary devices that color our writing, including
alliteration, onomatopoeia, idioms, irony, oxymorons, puns, synecdoche, and more. As a starting
point, let's have some fun with the ones you're most likely to come across in your daily readings.
One of the best ways to understand the concept of figurative language is to see it in action. Here
are some examples:
When you use a metaphor, you make a statement that doesn’t literally make sense. For example,
“Time is a thief.” Time is not actually stealing from you but this conveys the idea that hours or
days sometimes seem to slip by without you noticing.
Metaphors only makes sense when the similarities between the two things being compared are
apparent or readers understand the connection between the two words. Examples include:
Simile
A simile also compares two things. However, similes use the words “like” or “as.”
Examples include:
Busy as a bee.
Clean as a whistle.
Brave as a lion.
The tall girl stood out like a sore thumb.
It was as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.
My mouth was as dry as a bone.
They fought like cats and dogs.
Watching that movie was like watching grass grow.
Personification
Personification gives human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, or ideas. This can
really affect the way the reader imagines things. Personification is often used in poetry, fiction,
and children’s rhymes.
Examples include:
Hyperbole is an outrageous exaggeration that emphasizes a point. It tends toward the ridiculous
or the funny. Hyperbole adds color and depth to a character.
Examples include:
Symbolism
Symbolism occurs when a word has its own meaning but is used to represent something entirely
different.
Using the image of the American flag to represent patriotism and a love for one’s
country.
Incorporating a red rose in your writing to symbolize love.
Using an apple pie to represent a traditional American lifestyle.
Using a chalkboard to represent education.
Incorporating the color black in your writing as a symbol for evil or death.
Using an owl to represent wisdom.
“All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and
their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.” - As You Like It, William
Shakespeare
The “stage” here symbolizes the world and the “players” represent human beings.
“My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods. Time will change it; I’m well aware, as
winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath a source of
little visible delight, but necessary.” - Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
Bronte uses imagery of the natural world to symbolize the wild nature and deep feelings of her
characters.
Alliteration
Alliteration is a sound device. It is the repetition of the first consonant sounds in several words.
Examples include:
We're up, wide-eyed, and wondering while we wait for others to awaken.
Betty bought butter but the butter was bitter, so Betty bought better butter to make the
bitter butter better.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is also a sound device where the words sound like their meaning, or mimic
sounds. They add a level of fun and reality to writing.
So, instead of hearing the wind blow against your window tonight, perhaps you'll hear the
whisper of the wind as it calls out for you like a lover in the night (personification and simile,
respectively). That blank page you're looking at is actually a blank canvas. It's up to you to add
texture and depth. Have fun layering your literary devices, but remember not to go overboard
with them!
What is litotes?