Figurative Language
 When you’re reading a poem or story, what are some
things an author does that helps you visualize what is
happening?
 When an author compares two things that may not
be related, what is that called?
 Why is it important to see what the author is writing
about?
Figurative Language
 Teaching Point:
Today I want to teach you that many times poets use
figurative language in their poems. That means that the
words we read in poems may have a different or deeper
meaning than what we expect. What the author says or
what we expect is called literal meaning. But we can infer
the figurative meaning, which is what the author means.
Authors use similes and metaphors (figurative language)
as a way to express meaning. Knowing how to find the
meaning of the author’s words helps us become better
readers because it allows us to visualize what the author
is saying and helps us understand the text better.
Figurative Language
Simile:
 A simile is a figure of speech in which two different
things are compared by using the words “like” or
“as.”
Metaphor:
 A metaphor is a phrase that describes something
by comparing it to some other thing
from wordsmyth.com
Figurative Language
 Authors use similes and metaphors to evoke strong
meaning and strong feelings in a reader.
 Authors use similes and metaphors to create a
picture in a readers mind.
Poetry Chart
Poetry Words
Literal Meaning
Figurative
Meaning
Why the author
chose these
words
Examples in Poetry
Willow and Ginkgo
By Eve Merriam
The willow is like an etching,
Fine-lined against the sky.
Poetry Chart
Poetry
Words
Literal
Meaning
The willow is
A willow tree is a
like an etching drawing
Figurative
Meaning
Why the author
chose those words
A willow tree looks
like an elegant and
delicate drawing
The author is helping
me understand the way
a willow tree looks.
•An etching is a fine,
delicate drawing
•So the tree must look
delicate
Examples
The Boy
The boy is a bomb.
He is waiting to explode.
The bomb is full of anger.
He has a short fuse.
He may go off at any time.
Poetry Chart
Poetry
Words
Literal
Meaning
Figurative
Meaning
Why the author
chose those words
The willow is
A willow tree is a
like an etching drawing
A willow tree looks
like an elegant and
delicate drawing
The author is helping
me understand the way
a willow tree looks.
•An etching is a fine,
delicate drawing
•So the tree must look
delicate
The boy is a
bomb
The boy is so full of
anger he is going to
explode like a bomb
would
The author is helping
me understand how
angry the boy is.
•A bomb is destructive
and causes a lot of
damage
•So the boy must be
very angry
The boy is a
bomb
Independent Work
 Locate at least 3 instances of figurative language
(similes or metaphors) within the different poems.
(You can use all the poems or just a few) Write the
similes and metaphors in your chart and describe the
literal and figurative meanings and why the author
chose those words.