Name:___________________
Figurative Language in Of Mice and Men
Figurative language uses figures of speech to be more effective, persuasive, and impactful. Figures of
speech allusions go beyond the literal meanings of the words to give readers new insights.
Find one example of a simile, metaphor, and personification in Of Mice and Men and complete the chart
below.
(Hint- Try looking on these pages: 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 17-18, 31, 32, 33, 62, 63, 72, 91, 93, 99, 100, 106)
Device:
Write out the literary
device and the page
number.
Example:
Effect:
What does that
particular device
suggest about the
object it is referring to?
Drawing:
Draw the image that is
created by the device.
Theme:
What theme or idea in
the novel might this
image be connecting
to?
Connection:
How does
Steinbeck’s use of
this particular device
influence the
meaning of the
novel?
Example:
Example:
Example:
Example:
Name:___________________
Simile:
Metaphor:
Personification:
Name:___________________
Teacher Use:
1. "The curls, tiny little sausages, were spread on the hay behind her head, and her lips were parted." (pg 93) Metaphor
2. "Slowly, like a terrier who doesn't want to bring a ball to its master, Lennie approached, drew back, approached again." (pg 9)
Simile
3. "The sycamore leaves whispered in a little night breeze." (pg 16) Personification
4. "Suddenly Lennie appeared out of the brush, and he came as silently as a creeping bear moves." (pg 100) Simile
5. "...and her body flopped like a fish." (pg 91) Simile
6. "Lennie covered his face with huge paws and bleated with terror." (pg 63) Metaphor
7. At about ten o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of
the beam flies shot like rushing stars." (pg 17-18) Personification, Simile
8. "They'll tie ya up with a collar, like a dog." (pg 72) Simile
9. "As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment." (pg 93)
Personification
10. "Already the sun had left the valley to of climbing up the slopes of the Gabilian mountains and the hilltops were rosy in the
sun." (pg 99) Personification
11. "The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again." (pg 106) Personification
12. "An' live of the fatta the lan'." (pg 14) Metaphor
13. "A water snake slipped along the pool, its head held up like a little periscope." (pg 7) Simile
14. "He was a jerkline skinner, prince of the ranch." (pg 33) Metaphor
15. "... she's a rat trap if I ever seen one." (pg 32) Metaphor
16. "The next minute, Curley was flopping like a fish on a line..." (pg 63) Simile
17. "You're yella as a frog belly." (pg 62) Simile
18. "The shade climbed up the hills toward the top." (pg 2) Personification
19. "Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages." (pg 31) Simile