From Abstraction to Concrete Details:
Using Literary Devices to Portray “Big Ideas” in Writing
Assignment: Write a single descriptive paragraph that conveys an abstract
concept through the use of appropriate: imagery, figurative language and tone
and avoids the use of abstractions (the one you are describing or others). This
paragraph may have narrative elements, such as the use of characters or tension,
but its primary focus should be the development of an abstract idea through use of
literary devices (see the bold words in this paragraph).
Steps:
1. You will be given one concrete object to describe; choose the abstract idea you
want it to represent and write it down
2. Brainstorm descriptive language, sensory details and possible figurative
language for your descriptive paragraph; Keep in mind that your goal is to relay the
abstraction through the description of a concrete object.
 If your abstraction is happiness and your concrete object is a clown, then
you should NOT describe the clown as if he were a member of Insane Clown
Posse
o “The clown’s stark, white makeup contrasted with the black swirls
around each of his beady eyes. The mask of paint crackled as his lips
bent into a smirk. He reached for the shivering child’s dog-shaped
balloon with thick fingers outstretched like the hand of a zombie
reaching from the grave,” would NOT be appropriate to describe
happiness, but it would be appropriate if you wanted the clown to
represent malevolence, debauchery, evil etc.
3. Begin writing your paragraph. Your goal is to make the concrete object you
have been given representative of an abstract idea without using other abstractions
and relying only on imagery and figurative language.
Prompting Questions
To get started:
 Where is the object?
 How did it get there?
 What is it doing? (If anything)
 How can I describe the setting?
 What does it (the object or setting) look like? Smell like? Feel like? Does it
have any emotions?
 What verb tense should this be in?
As you are writing:
 Is there anything/anyone else around the object?
 If there is a person, what are they doing? Do they interact with the object?
 Why are those things there? How did they get there?
 Can you develop your thought/sentence/idea with imagery? What choices
would help to relay your abstractions?
 Can you develop a thought/sentence/idea with figurative language? What
choice would help to relay your abstractions?
As you are revising:
 Are all of my word choices the best they can be?
 Are there any abstractions I can eliminate?
 Does my use of imagery and figurative language help to relay my
abstraction?
 What is the tone?
 Is the tone appropriate to my purpose?
 Could someone else guess my abstraction without knowing it ahead of
time?
Object: _________________________________Abstraction:______________________________________
Brainstorming:
1. Make a list of sensory details for your object that you could use in your
paragraph. You want to answer these questions: What does it look like?
Smell like? Feel like? Sound like? Does it have any feelings?
2. Make a list of three to five things you could compare your object (or parts of
your object) to that would help to relay the abstract idea. (EX: Compare a
clown hand to zombie reaching from the grave, this would create the
abstraction of evil). Ultimately, these will be your metaphors and similes for
your paragraph.
3. Write your paragraph on a separate sheet of paper. After you finish, make
sure you review the “revision” questions to create the best piece of writing
possible.