Terms and Definitions

Figurative Language - one of the most commonly used elemenets in poetry.

Personification - giving life-like characteristics to a non-living object. Example: The bitter cold wrapped its icy fingers around the dark city.

Simile - comparing two things using "like" or "as". Example: The running back is as fast as lightning.

Metaphor - comparing two things without using "like" or "as". Example: Her tears are a waterfall.

Imagery - language that appeals to the senses and creates a word picture in the reader's mind. Example: The raging blaze waas so fierce that the trees wilted and gave up, falling into the black inferno that once was a lush green paradise.

Alliteration - repetition of consonant sounds. Example: The cold, calculating hand of fear clasped mine and called me a coward.

Onomatopoeia - using words that sound like what they mean. Example: The camera clicked. The horn beeped. The wing whistled.

Connotative Language - Connotative Language is ofted used in poetry. Denotation is the literal meaning of a word; however, connotation is the feeling or emotion evoked by a word. For example, the word home has two meanings. The literal meaning is the plce you live. The connotation meaning is all the feelings associated with the word like security, family, comfort, etc.