What is an Allusion? In short, an allusion is a figure of speech that references a famous person, place, event, or literary work. Allusions are either implied or direct. If you hear someone say, “Cupid’s arrow keeps missing me,” he or she alludes to the classic mythology that hails Cupid as the arrow-bearing God of Love. In literature, writers use …
Onomatopoeia: A Word that Mimics a Sound
From an early age, we’re taught to identify animals by imitating the sound they make. For example, cats go “meow,” dogs say “woof,” “moo” for cows, and so on. The process of forming a word that mimics the sound of a thing or person is called onomatopoeia, which is also the term for the resulting word. Aside from animal sounds, …
Personification: Humanizing Nonliving Things
What is Personification? Another type of figurative language that breathes life into one’s writing is personification: attributing human characteristics, emotion, and behavior to animals and inanimate objects or ideas. It helps writers turn abstract concepts into a more relatable and engaging read. Uses of Personification: 1. Everyday Speech Use personification to creatively get your point across in everyday conversation. Darkness …
Alliteration: Creating Rhythm with Words
What is Alliteration? Also called head rhyme or initial rhyme, alliteration is a poetry device that refers to the repetition of the same initial letter sounds in a line of words. In alliteration, you’ll hear the initial sounds run smoothly from one word to another. Try reading these phrases aloud: “femme fatale,” “pretty in pink,” “white wine,” and “love locks.” …
Hyperbole: Exaggeration & Overstatement
What is Hyperbole? Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses exaggerated comparisons or overstatements for emphasis and literary effect. Like all figures of speech, hyperbole is not meant to be taken literally. “Loving with the fire of a thousand suns” refers to the “burning” passion of loving someone. It wouldn’t make sense to take its literal meaning and pair …
Metaphors: Making Vivid Comparisons
What is a Metaphor? Good writers use metaphors to evoke vivid imagery. A metaphor is a figure of speech used to imply a comparison between ideas, things, or people. Since it uses a figurative language, a metaphor goes beyond its literal sense. So, when you hear someone say he’s “feeling blue,” you don’t expect him turn color blue; instead, you …