SIMILE vs. METAPHOR
Which uses “like” or “as”—a simile or a metaphor?
simile
What is personification?
Giving human traits to nonhuman objects or ideas.
Define hyperbole.
Extreme exaggeration for effect
What is symbolism?
Using an object, color, or action to represent a deeper idea.
What is verbal irony?
When someone says the opposite of what they mean.
Identify the figurative language:
“Her smile was like sunshine breaking through clouds.”
simile
Identify the personification:
“The leaves danced across the pavement.”
“Danced”
Define understatement.
Making something seem less important or smaller than it is.
In literature, what does a red rose often symbolize?
Love or passion
What is situational irony?
When something happens that is the opposite of what is expected.
Identify the figurative language:
“Time is a thief that steals our moments.”
metaphor
What human trait is given to the storm?
“The storm growled in the distance.”
Growling
Identify hyperbole or understatement:
“This test might take a thousand years.”
Hyperbole
What might a broken mirror symbolize in a story?
Bad luck, shattered identity, or self-doubt.
What is dramatic irony?
When the audience knows something the characters do not.
Explain how this metaphor deepens meaning:
“The world is a stage, and we are merely players.”
It suggests life is like a performance where people play roles
How does personification improve imagery in this sentence?
“The old house groaned with every step.”
It makes the house seem alive, creating a spooky or tense mood.
Identify hyperbole or understatement:
After failing the test, he said, “Well… that could’ve gone better.”
Understatement
Explain the symbolism in this sentence:
“The locked door stood between him and his future.”
The locked door symbolizes obstacles or limitations.
Identify the irony:
“A fire station burns down.”
Situational Irony or Dramatic Irony
Situational irony
Rewrite this simile as a metaphor: "He fought like a lion"
He was a lion fights
Create a sentence using personification to show loneliness.
Answers vary (e.g., “The empty hallway whispered its silence.”)
Explain why a writer might use understatement in a dramatic scene.
To create humor, irony, or contrast by downplaying something serious.
Create your own example of symbolism in one sentence.
Answers vary (e.g., “The flickering candle represented her fading hope.”)
Explain the dramatic irony in a horror movie where the audience sees the villain behind the door, but the main character does not.
The audience knows the danger, but the character doesn’t, creating suspense.