Symbolism and Figurative Language
Hannah McAtamney, Sammi Rice, Emily Nicholas, Simi Martinelango, Kara Emeott
Symbolism is anything that stands for or represents something else.
Ex. “He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided.”
This symbolizes that Rainsford killed Zaroff because before that, Zaroff said “One of us is to furnish a
repast for the hounds. The other will sleep in this very excellent bed.” This shows symbolism because
Rainsford said that he had never slept in a better bed before so Zaroff must have furnished a repast
for the hounds, or in easier words, got eaten.
Metaphors, similes, and personifications are all figurative languages.
Metaphor is a comparison of two UNLIKE things.
Ex. “Zaroff is a demon with a satanic plan of murder for innocent victims.”
This is a metaphor because Zaroff isn’t actually a demon.
Simile is the comparison of two unlike things using like or as.
Ex. “An Apprehensive night crawled slowly by like a wounded snake…..”
Here the author is comparing the night to a wounded snake.
Ex. “The Sea was as flat as a plate-glass window.”
Personification is a figure of speech where animals, ideas, or inorganic objects are given human
characteristics.
Ex. “It was set on a high bluff, and on three sides of it cliffs dived down to where the sea licked greedy
lips in the shadows.”
Ex. “The muttering and growling of the sea breaking on a rocky shore.”