Figurative Language

Simile

A comparison using the words like or as (e.g., lips as red as a rose).

Metaphor

A word or phrase applied to an object or action it is not literally applicable to (e.g., he is a shining star).

Extended Metaphor

A metaphor that is developed and used throughout an entire text (e.g., Slytherin = snake, suggesting those in that house cannot be trusted).

Implied Metaphor

A metaphor that makes an indirect comparison without stating it outright (e.g., The captain barked orders implies the captain is like a dog).

Mixed Metaphor

The combination of multiple metaphors that do not work well together, making the idea sound confusing or ridiculous

Allusion

An indirect reference to something outside the text (often historical, literary, religious, etc.).

Historical Allusion

An allusion referencing historical people or events (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.'s reference to slavery: "manacles of segregation").

Religious Allusion

An allusion referencing religious texts, figures, or stories (e.g., the Bible—Cain and Abel, Eve, the snake, Garden of Eden, Judas).

Mythological Allusion

An allusion referencing a mythological figure or story (e.g., Greek gods, Hercules, Atlas, the Furies, Cerberus).

Literary Allusion

An allusion referencing another literary work such as a poem, novel, or play (e.g., The Lion King = Hamlet).

Cultural Allusion

An allusion referencing pop culture, sports, movies, music, or common sayings (e.g., "hit it out of the park" from baseball).

Metonymy

Referring to a concept by using something closely related to it (e.g., "Hollywood" = the film industry, "The Flag" = America).

Synecdoche

Referring to something using one of its parts or the whole to represent it (e.g., "boots on the ground" = soldiers).

Idiom

A phrase unique to a language or culture whose meaning isn't literal (e.g., "raining cats and dogs").

Hyperbole

Intentional exaggeration for emphasis or dramatic effect (e.g., "I could eat a horse").

Litotes

An understatement using double negatives to emphasize a positive idea (e.g., "not bad" meaning good).

Pun

A play on words that exploits multiple meanings of a word (e.g., "grave man" meaning serious and dead).

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate the sound they describe (e.g., buzz, chirp, bang).

Chiasmus

A rhetorical structure where phrases are reversed for effect, creating a mirrored pattern (e.g., "Ask not what your country can do for you…").

Imagery

Visually descriptive language that appeals to the senses.

Foreshadowing

A hint or warning of events that will occur later in the text (e.g., storm clouds signaling trouble).

Symbolism

The use of objects, characters, or colors to represent deeper meanings or ideas (e.g., red in The Giver).

Antithesis

Two contrasting ideas placed together in parallel structure for emphasis (e.g., "Give me liberty, or give me death").

Juxtaposition

Placing two contrasting elements close together to highlight differences (e.g., angel vs. devil imagery).

Personification

Giving human characteristics to nonhuman objects, animals, or ideas (e.g., the kettle whistled, the chair flew).

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word or phrase used to discuss an uncomfortable or harsh topic (e.g., "passed away" for died, "the birds and the bees" for sex).

Apostrophe

Addressing someone or something that is absent, dead, nonhuman, or abstract (e.g., speaking to death, nature, or a loved one at their grave).

Allegory

A literary device in which characters, settings, and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities, creating both a literal and a symbolic meaning. Symbolic narratives designed to teach or explain deeper truths (e.g., The Crucible as an allegory for McCarthyism; Animal Farm as an allegory for Russian Communism).

Paradox

A seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or idea that, upon closer examination, reveals a deeper truth (e.g., "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others" in Animal Farm).

Oxymoron

A two-word phrase that combines contradictory terms (e.g., jumbo shrimp, organized chaos).

Alliteration

The repetition of the same initial consonant sound at the beginning of nearby words (e.g., Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw).

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words (e.g., no pain, no gain; chips and dips).

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words (e.g., Peter Piper picked a peck of purple peppers).

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences or lines (e.g., MLK Jr.'s "I have a dream").

Palilogia

The immediate repetition of a word or phrase for emphasis (e.g., "Reputation, reputation, reputation!").

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality, often where words or events signify the opposite of what is expected, sometimes for humor or emphasis.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows something the characters do not (e.g., the audience knows Romeo and Juliet will die from the beginning).

Verbal Irony

When a speaker says something but means the opposite, often sarcastic (e.g., after a car crash saying, "Well, that was fun").

Situational Irony

When an outcome is the opposite of what is expected (e.g., a firehouse burning down, a teacher failing a test).

Cosmic Irony

The belief that fate or divine forces are delivering poetic justice (often associated with karma).