Literary Devices & Figurative Language

Figurative language is when a writer says something that is not literally true to make a point hit harder. Spotting these devices is half of every English test, and naming them correctly is how you score points on essays.

• ●Metaphor: calls one thing another thing directly. Example: He was a wall on the goal line.
• ●Simile: a comparison using like or as. Example: She ran like a freight train.
• ●Symbolism: an object stands for a bigger idea. Example: a green light standing for hope and a dream just out of reach.
• ●Imagery: language that paints a picture for the five senses. Example: the cold steel bleachers and the smell of cut grass.
• ●Irony: when what happens is the opposite of what you expect. Example: a fire station burns down.
• ●Tone: the author's attitude toward the subject, such as angry, hopeful, bitter, or proud.

How to write about a device

Do not just label it. Name the device, quote the line, and explain the effect. Say what the device makes the reader feel or understand. The effect is where the credit is.