Transcript I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the
Caged Bird Sings
Literary and Poetic Devices
Figure of Speech
O Any expressive use of language in which
words are used in a way other than their
literal sense in order to suggest an image
or other special effect
O A term inclusive of: metaphor, simile,
personification, hyperbole, etc.
O Also called a literary trope
Simile
O Definition:
a comparison
between two
unlike things
using the words
“like” or “as”
O Examples:
“She is shy
as a mouse”
“Life is like a bowl
of cherries.”
Metaphor
O Definition: one subject is implied to be
another in order to draw comparisons
between their similarities and shared
traits
O Examples:
“He was a lion on the soccer field”
“Hope is the thing with feathers,
that perches in the soul”
Hyperbole
O Definition:
using words to
exaggerate and
overemphasize
the basic
meaning of a
statement to
produce a
grander effect
O Examples:
“The shot was
heard round the
world.”
“I’m so tired, I
could sleep for a
year.”
Personification
O Definition: giving abstract ideas or
inanimate objects human characteristics
or traits
O Examples:
“Guilt tormented him.”
“The wind shrieked during the storm.”
Alliteration
O Definition:
words used in
quick
succession that
begin with the
same letter or
sound
O Examples:
“The Wicked
Witch of the
West”
“She sells
seashells
by the seashore.”
Allusion
O Definition: when an author refers to subject matter
such as a place, historical event, or literary work as a
passing reference; it is up to the reader to make the
connection between ideas
O Examples:
“Their next door neighbor is a real Dennis the
Menace.”
“Good thinking, Einstein!”
Stanza
O Definition: a grouping of lines separated
from others in a poem
O Stanzas can be used to mark a shift in
mood, time, or thought
Line Breaks
O End-Stopped
Line:
a line of poetry
ending with
punctuation
(colon, semicolon, period) or
a line containing
a complete
phrase
O Enjambed Line:
the running
over of a
sentence or
phrase from one
poetic line to
the next; used to
create
movement in a
poem
Tone
O Definition: the mood or attitude that an author adopts
in regards to a particular character, setting, or idea as
perceived by the reader
O Tone can express a variety of emotions ranging from
solemn and critical to witty and humorous
Imagery
O Definition: when an author uses words to create
“mental pictures” for the reader in order to tickle the
senses and help the reader visualize an experience
O Example:
“The flowering Dogwood tree, situated beneath her
expansive bay window, was dotted with a tiny Finches
in a riot of colors”