Find and copy down two uses of figurative language (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, allusion, idiom) in your novel that reveal something about a main character--don't forget the page numbers! Analyze what these two uses reveal about the character and explain why they are important descriptions to the overall plot, theme, conflict, etc. Think: What was the author's purpose in describing the character in this manner? Does the description seem to foreshadow future plot events? What do more do you understand about the character's motivations as a result of the figurative description?
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Aiga Petelo
10/22/2015 06:37:46 pm
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Aliya Wilcox
10/28/2015 03:58:44 pm
In my book, “Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer” by Katie Alender, there are a lot of examples of figurative language. “They both had wardrobes big enough to stock a Banana Republic store (except they would never shop somewhere so pedestrian).” (19) is an example of a hyperbole. It describes Hannah and Pilar, and shows that they are both rich and have a lot of clothes though probably not enough to stock a whole Banana Republic store. This is important to the plot because though Hannah and Pilar aren’t the heroin in the story, they are main characters so knowing they are rich and spoiled will change their behavior and their choices. I’m not far in the book and have yet to discover the theme and main conflict. “’It’s written all over your face.’” (21) is what Colette’s teacher told her after she is rude and sarcastic (but tries to take it back) when they (Colette and the teacher) are paired to be buddies for the trip to Paris. Colette is the heroin in this book and this example of personification tells us that she is transparent. Her emotions show on her face. Another common way to say this is she is an open book. It is easy to tell what she is thinking even though it isn’t really written all over her face. That will most likely become very important later on in the book but I am only on page 58 of the 292 page book. It could possibly come into play when she meets the serial killer which I suspect she will. Maybe when they meet Colette will tell a lie and she (the serial killer) will be able to tell. It could be an important lie but that is just a prediction. I do know that based on these examples of figurative language, Colette, Hannah and Pilar’s description will be an important aspect in whatever comes next.
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Bella Hautzinger
11/8/2015 10:05:23 am
Dear Aliya,
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Peyton Clark
11/2/2015 06:26:17 pm
In my book "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, figurative language is scattered throughout the book. The figurative language provides a description of the characters feelings and there physical state. For example, "He was so spent from all his crying he looked like a zombie, ghastly white."(166) This is a great simile showing how Harrys emotional state effects his appearance. This shows the theme of distress through the the book and it really backs up Harry proving that he couldn't possibly of killed his parents because of his attachment to them. Another quote that shows the emotions there experiencing is from Tandy, the main character, "Embarrassment was an emotion I'd been shielded from my whole life, either by mood-altering drugs or by simply being sheltered from my peers. Now, humiliation was crippling me." The metaphor used in this quote shows how her new emotions that are being experienced are not treating her very well and she does not really seem to like it. Just so you know a little about the book, the first sentence is talking about some secret drugs her parents were giving her to enhance performance and create the "perfect" child. This quote you are able to see that she feels a lack of protection that she feels without her parents. These emotions further in the story will hopefully help her find herself. I found one more metaphor, " My thoughts were scattered, my focus gone." (316) This is a great example showing Tandy's confusion. I think that Tandy's main motivation in this book is to find and express her feelings more than she could with her parents alive. By dying they gave her a chance to be herself, I am not saying they should of died, but the Angel kids were able to become there own person, by themselves. The figurative language provides a great description of there elaborate roller coaster ride of emotions.
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Chloe Williams
11/4/2015 07:16:50 pm
Figurative language is often used to give a more in depth description to a character. In "1984" by George Orwell, the main character, Winston Smith is given a very strong explanation by being compared to other objects. The plot, theme, conflict, and tone are also explained in a different way by the use of figurative language. George Orwell has a very defined purpose in why he compares Winston in these matters and foreshadows what may happen in the future. Winston's reasoning is also described and his motivations are easier to understand when put in such a relatable way.
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Chloe Williams
11/4/2015 07:20:28 pm
*My whole response didn't post, but here's the rest*
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Sydni Stoffel
11/9/2015 06:21:25 pm
My novel “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher, uses figurative language to reveal emotions, thoughts and their personality through his words. “In those first few words I felt as if every bone in my body had been broken into a thousand pieces. I was one of the reasons why, my peer and at one point friend killed herself. It took a while to sink in, but once it did tears flooded out of my eyes like a rain storm” (62). This reveals a lot about Clays (the main character) feelings towards bullying and self-harm. This is obviously a sensitive subject to him without this passage there is no way I could have figured this out. I can tell that being a kind genuine person means a lot to him by this passage and he is very unhappy with himself because he made a bad decision, he does care and won’t/can’t just brush it off.
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Violet Detwiler
11/9/2015 06:28:38 pm
Authors use many different techniques to describe characters and one common way used in my current book “What Janie Found” by Caroline B Cooney is through figurative language. “’H.J.,’ she said, voice squeezed between her lips like toothpaste, ‘stands for Hunting Jaguars.’ They all knew what H.J. actually stood for” (25). The use of simile (squeezed between her lips like toothpaste) in the sentence reveals a few things about the main character Janie. First, this not only tells us that Janie is very angry and unable to speak the truth in this particular moment but also that she is dealing with a very personal situation that she won’t even share with the people she is closest to which tells us that she is a reserved person who keeps things to herself. This description adds to the overall plot and conflict because a whole new conflict is added to the plot by Janie being kept to herself and not wanted to share information with her friends that is basically already known therefore creating tension between them. Caroline B Cooney used a simile to give the reader a description of Janie because intrigue is added, if the author had flat out said the Janie keeps secrets to herself and is currently angry then the reader wouldn’t have been as interested nor would the reader be able to relate to Janie as much as they would through a simile (figurative language). This quote foreshadowed slightly to the future, where the characters talk more about whatever H.J. stands for. This foreshadowed that because now the reader knows how Janie feels about this topic and will have a stronger understanding and mood towards the subject. The reader now knows more about Janie’s motivations, which are that Janie is obviously not going to confide in her friends about this information so we know that throughout the book she will be trying to solve the conflicts that may occur by herself not through the help of others.
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Sydni Stoffel
11/9/2015 07:34:16 pm
Violet,
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Gaby Bowman
12/5/2015 09:43:23 am
When writing figurative language is powerful. It changes things like plot, theme, and even the conflict of a story. The novel “The name of this Book is secret” by Psedonymous Bosch uses similes to start these very changes. Figurative language always has a purpose too. Authors always have their reasons whether it’s foreshadowing or just a motivation.
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Autumn Detor
12/6/2015 09:29:50 am
In my book, Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans, there are multiple uses of figurative language that help reveal something about the main protagonist, Michael. Though I am not very far into the book, I have already seen that both hyperboles and similes help the reader to better understand the character.
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Will Smardo
12/9/2015 07:08:20 pm
In my book “The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto” Frankie has passed and his life’s story is told through the perspective of literal music. The book immediately starts out with a piece of figurative language that gives the reader a visual for Frankie’s predicament. It goes like this, “This man’s melody is finished, but his mourners have come a great distance to add a few stanzas” (3). This piece of figurative language is the fourth sentence in this book. It foreshadows his great number of acquaintances when he states that “his mourners have come a great distance”. This means he either died after recently moving or the actual case where he had a big life and influenced a lot of other lives near and far, “By my measure (which is always accurate) Frankie Presto, during his time on earth, played with three hundred and seventy-four bands” (9). This piece of figurative language also emphasizes that Frankie was very musical or had a great influence of it in his life by comparing Frankie’s life to a “melody” and saying that people would like to “add a few stanzas”. Next, it states that Frankie is a wanderer and has been everywhere. “(H)is mourners have come a great distance”, Frankie has lived in a multitude of places, many of his have traveled “a great distance”. It also states the obvious, Frankie is dead, his “melody is finished”. In conclusion this piece of figurative language foreshadows Frankie’s many relations, states his death, and shows that he has traveled great distances throughout his life.
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Ethan Konrad
12/17/2015 08:26:23 pm
In my book, "Battle of the Labyrinth" By Rick Riordan, there are many uses of figurative languages, such as, "The giant tossed aside the ares cabin's phalanx like rag dolls." this shows how Camp half bloods defenses are weak compared to the offense of Kronos' army. and if they lose this fight, they lose their home so this means a lot to the characters of the story. Another use of figurative language is "The earth rumbled- an earthquake that could probably be felt across every major city in the country." This hyperbole shows that the story is coming to an end. Just like the labyrinth. and shows how the characters have successfully defended their home
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