SHORT STORY ELEMENTS: Figurative Language
The Most Dangerous Game – Richard Connell
Figurative language is a set of literary devices that authors use to bring the reader into the writing. The literary devices use language in such a way that what is being said is different from the actual literal meaning of the words. Figurative language helps the reader to get a clearer picture of what's happening, and they can also be used to convince the reader of something, or they can be used to simply entertain the reader. Some common types of figurative language are: simile, metaphor, and personification. Below are some definitions and examples of these types of figurative language.
Metaphor: Metaphor is a type of comparison between two objects that are not thought of to be the same. It's similar to a simile, but it doesn't use the words "like" or "as." Example: Love is a sad and lonely flower.
Personification: Personification is a figure of speech in which things are endowed with human qualities or are represented as possessing human form. Example: A reference to angrily booming thunder or a smiling moon personifies inanimate objects by giving them emotion.
Simile - comparing one thing to another using either “like” or “as.” Example: The thick fog was like a suffocating wet blanket.
Imagery - How boring would writing be without descriptive phrases and adjectives? Sentences would be reduced to reading like elementary school primers. Authors make their works more interesting and vivid by using descriptive terms and phrases to enhance their prose and poetry. This language used to describe objects, events, and people is called imagery. Imagery is the use of language that engages the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Imagery creates a more meaningful and efficient way to translate meaning and expression through the written word. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” In the case of imagery, the use of descriptive words and phrases provide the reader with a picture that he can use to better understand what is happening or to become more engrossed in a story.
WHAT IS TONE? The tone is how the writer feels about his/her characters and his/her plot. It may be
light, romantic, sympathetic, ironic, pensive, and is usually described by adjectives.
Tone is set by:
a) Action (i.e., a brutal murder sets a morbid tone).
b) Choice of details in presenting facts.
c) Author’s style -- figurative language, diction, rhythm, sounds.
A writer often uses shifts in tone -- from satirical to sympathetic, from light to serious, etc. -- to shock the reader and maintain interest in the story.