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Definition: Comparing two unlike things by saying one IS the other.

Example: Standing next to his baby brother, Carlos is a giant.

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Definition:
Rhyme: the repetition of sounds at the ends of words.
Rhyme Scheme: the organization of rhyming words in a variety of patterns.
Example: (AABB)
I think that I shall never see (A)
A poem lovely as a tree. (A)
A tree that may in summer wear (B)
A nest of robins in her hair. (B)

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Definition: The attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience.

Example: Father: “We are going on a vacation.” Son: “That’s great!”

The tone of the son’s response is cheerful.

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Definition: Using an object or word to represent an idea.

Example: The color black in literature can represent evil or death.

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Definition: Language that’s intended to create an image, association, or other effect in the mind of the reader that goes beyond the literal meaning of the words involved.

Example: The sky misses the sun at night. (personification)

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Two words are said to rhyme when they end with the same sounds, a technique that's very common in poetry. Although poems don't always have to rhyme, such as in the case of free verse or haiku, rhyme can add beauty and layers of meaning to your poetry.

When you write a rhyming poem, the rhymes usually follow a pattern. For example, the pattern may be that the first line rhymes with the third, and the second with the fourth. Or, you might have two consecutive lines rhyme with each other.

What Is a Rhyme Scheme?

A rhyme scheme is the set of letters that represent the rhyming pattern of a poem. We call these "letter variables," and we use capital letters to indicate which lines rhyme with each other.

For example, if the first line rhymes with the third line, we indicate those sounds with an A. Then, if the second line rhymes with the fourth, we indicate them with a B, like this:

The friendly cow all red and white - A
I love with all my heart - B
She gives me cream with all her might - A
To eat with apple-tart - B
-"The Cow" by Robert Louis Stevenson

How Do You Find the Rhyme Scheme of a Poem?

If you want to determine which rhyme scheme a poem follows, look to the last sound in the line. Label every new ending sound with a new letter. Then when the same sound occurs in the next lines, use the same letter.

For example:

All things bright and beautiful - A
All creatures great and small - B
All things wise and wonderful - A
The Lord God made them all. - B

In this poem by Cecil Alexander, the first line ends with the word "beautiful." Label this A. Then the next line ends with the word "small," which does not rhyme with beautiful, so label this line B.

Then, the third line ends with the word "wonderful," which rhymes with the last word of the first line, "beautiful." As such, use the same letter, A, for this line.

The fourth line ends with the word "all," which rhymes with the word "small" in the second line. So you need to use the same letter as in the second line, B.

This gives us the rhyme scheme ABAB.

What if we have more than two pairs of rhyming words? We would follow the same principle: use a new letter for every new sound, and use the same letter for rhyming words.

Here's an example by William Blake:

Piping down the valleys wild, - A
Piping songs of pleasant glee, - B
On a cloud I saw a child, - A
And he laughing said to me: - B
'Pipe a song about a Lamb!' - C
So I piped with merry . - D
'Piper, pipe that song again.' - E
So I piped: he wept to . - D
'Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe; - F
Sing thy songs of happy !' - D

In this example, the first four lines follow the rhyme scheme ABAB. But the next few lines are CDEDFD. (The only rhymes are in the lines labeled D.)

What Is the Rhyme Scheme AABB?

Because each letter in a rhyme scheme refers to one ending sound, you can easily see which lines rhyme for that poem. For example, if the given rhyme scheme is AABB, that means the first two lines rhyme with each other, and the next two lines rhyme with each other.

Most nursery rhymes use the AABB rhyme scheme. For example:

Once I saw a little bird go hop, hop, hop - A
So I said, "Little bird, will you stop, stop stop?" - A
As I was going to the window to say, "How do you do?" - B
It flicked its little tail and far away he flew. - B

Twinkle, twinkle, little star - A
How I wonder what you are. - A
Up above the world so high, - B
Like a diamond in the sky. - B
Twinkle, twinkle, little star - A
How I wonder what you are. - A

Common Rhyme Schemes

When you write a rhyming poem, you do not have to follow a fixed pattern. You can just keep adding new rhymes and continue expanding the pattern.

But some types of poems have assigned rhyme schemes. These include:

1. Shakespearean Sonnet: This is always a 14-line poem broken down into three 4-line stanzas and a couplet to end the piece. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, unique only to the Shakespearean sonnet.

2. Alternate rhyme: In this rhyme scheme, the first line rhymes with the third, and the second line rhymes with the fourth. The ABAB rhyme scheme is common for poems with four lines in each stanza.

3. Ballade: This lyric poem (not to be confused with a ballad) typically comes in three stanzas of eight lines each and ends with a four-line stanza. The rhyme scheme for a ballade is ABABBCBC.

4. Coupled rhyme: This refers to two consecutive lines that rhyme, usually in two-line stanzas. The rhyme scheme is AA BB CC, or any other similar scheme with pairs of rhyming lines. We call these types of rhymes "rhyming couplets." The Shakespearean sonnet always ends with a rhyming couplet.

5. Monorhyme: A monorhyme is when all the lines in one stanza or even an entire poem end in the same sound. The rhyme scheme can be designated as AAAA.

6. Enclosed rhyme: In an enclosed rhyme scheme, the first and fourth lines rhyme with each other, while the second and third lines also rhyme with each other. The rhyme scheme is ABBA.

7. Triplet: A triplet is when three lines in one stanza end in the same sound. The rhyme scheme is therefore AAA.

8. Limerick: This humorous poem comes in five lines and a rhyme scheme of AABBA.

Examples of Rhyme Scheme in Literature

Let's look at a few more examples for a better understanding of rhyme schemes:

Example #1. "Sonnet 18" by William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? A
Thou art more lovely and more temperate: B
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, A
And summer's lease hath all too short a date; B
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, C
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; D
And every fair from fair sometime declines, C
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd; D
But thy eternal summer shall not fade, E
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; F
Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade, E
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st: F
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, G
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. G

Example #2. "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss

Do you like green eggs and ham? A
I do not like them, Sam-I-am. A
I do not like green eggs and ham. A
Would you like them here or there? B
I would not like them here or there. B
I would not like them anywhere. B
I do not like green eggs and ham. A
I do not like them, Sam-I-am. A

Example #3. "Excelsior" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The shades of night were falling fast, A
As through an Alpine village passed A
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice, B
A banner with the strange device, B
__Excelsior! C

His brow was sad; his eye beneath, D
Flashed like a falchion from its sheath, D
And like a silver clarion rung E
The accents of that unknown tongue, E
__Excelsior! C

Using Rhyme Schemes in Poetry

Rhyme and meter are two tools that make poems the musical experiences we enjoy so much. When you use regular rhyme in a set pattern, it makes it easier to remember the lines in your poem, and also lets you give your audience a predictable, expectant pleasure.

While rhyme scheme is not something that readers will normally pick out, your own decision in choosing which lines should rhyme will give your poem artistic structure.
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How to Identify the Rhyme Scheme of a Poem: Tips and Examples from Literature - TCK Publishing

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Two words are said to rhyme when they end with the same sounds, a technique that's very common in poetry. Although poems don't always have to rhyme, such as in the case of free verse or haiku, rhyme can add beauty and layers of meaning to your poetry.

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The tone in a story indicates a particular feeling. It can be joyful, serious, humorous, sad, threatening, formal, informal, pessimistic, and optimistic. Your tone in writing will be reflective of your mood as you are writing.

What is Tone in Writing?

Tone in writing is not really any different than the tone of your voice. You know that sometimes it is not what you say, but how you say it.

It is the same with writing. Every adjective and adverb you use, your sentence structure, and the imagery you use will show your tone. The definition of "tone" in literature is the way the author expresses his attitude through his writing.

The tone can change very quickly or may remain the same throughout the story. Tone is expressed by your use of syntax, your point of view, your diction, and the level of formality in your writing.

Examples of tone in a story include just about any adjective you can imagine:

Conveying Tone in a Story

Tone in writing is conveyed by both the choices of words and the narrator of the story.

In Charlotte's Web by E. B. White, although the book is sad, the tone is one of peace and acceptance:

But I feel peaceful. Your success in the ring this morning was, to a small degree, my success. Your future is assured. You will live, secure and safe, Wilbur. Nothing can harm you now. These autumn days will shorten and grow cold. The leaves will shake loose from the trees and fall. Christmas will come, and the snows of winter. You will live to enjoy the beauty of the frozen world, for you mean a great deal to Zuckerman and he will not harm you, ever. Winter will pass, the days will lengthen, the ice will melt in the pasture pond. The song sparrow will return and sing, the frogs will awake, the warm wind will blow again. All these sights and sounds and smells will be yours to enjoy, Wilbur-this lovely world, these precious days..."

In Hemingway's A Clean, Well-Lighted Place the tone is calm and peaceful.

It was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference.

In A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean loss is also addressed with a kind of acceptance. The tone here is wistful, yet peaceful and moving towards acceptance nonetheless.

This was the last fish we were ever to see Paul catch. My father and I talked about this moment several times later, and whatever our other feelings, we always felt it fitting that, when we saw him catch his last fish, we never saw the fish but only the artistry of the fisherman.

Choosing Words for Tone

Consider the tone of The School by Donald Barthelme. Here, words like "death" and "depressing" set a negative or unhappy tone:

And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don't know why they died, they just died. Something wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery wasn't the best. We complained about it. So we've got thirty kids there, each kid had his or her own little tree to plant and we've got these thirty dead trees. All these kids looking at these little brown sticks, it was depressing.

In the following excerpt from Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," notice the many adjectives and verbs that imply insane, nervous, and guilty tones.

It was A LOW, DULL, QUICK SOUND -- MUCH SUCH A SOUND AS A WATCH MAKES WHEN ENVELOPED IN COTTON. I gasped for breath, and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly, more vehemently but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why WOULD they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men, but the noise steadily increased. O God! What COULD I do? I foamed -- I raved -- I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder -- louder -- louder!

In A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, the tone could be said to be mysterious, secretive, ominous, or evil through the use of words like "clammy," "followed," and "unwholesome."

There was a steaming mist in all the hollows, and it had roamed in its forlornness up the hill, like an evil spirit, seeking rest and finding none. A clammy and intensely cold mist, it made its slow way through the air in ripples that visibly followed and overspread one another, as the waves of an unwholesome sea might do. It was dense enough to shut out everything from the light of the coach-lamps but these its own workings, and a few yards of road; and the reek of the labouring horses steamed into it, as if they had made it all.

Formal and Casual Tones

An example of a casual tone is:

The way I look at it, someone needs to start doing something about disease. What's the big deal? People are dying. But the average person doesn't think twice about it until it affects them. Or someone they know.

A formal tone is shown in this example:

There was a delay in the start of the project, attributable to circumstances beyond the control of all relevant parties. Progress came to a standstill, and no one was prepared to undertake the assessment of the problem and determination of the solution.

There are as many examples of tone in a story as there are stars in the sky. Any adjective, adverb, or even verb you can think of can help convey the tone in a story. Study other essential elements of a story to see how tone fits into the bigger picture.

YourDictionary staff

Grammar & Education Experts

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The tone in a story indicates a particular feeling. It can be joyful, serious, humorous, sad, threatening, formal, informal, pessimistic, and optimistic. Your tone in writing will be reflective of your mood as you are writing. Tone in writing is not really any different than the tone of your voice.

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Image Credits

blue circles with figurative language definition and example sentences

Created by Karina Goto for YourDictionary

Owned by YourDictionary, Copyright YourDictionary

If you tell someone "You look like a million bucks," you're not saying that they look like a stack of cash. You're using figurative language to say that they look really good. So why not just say that? What does figurative language add to our conversations and writing - and how many types of figurative language do you encounter every day?

What Is Figurative Language?

Figurative language is non-literal wording that adds creativity or rhetorical meaning to your writing. It invites the reader to use their senses or prior knowledge to understand your meaning.

For example:

This coffee shop is an icebox!

She's drowning in a sea of grief.

She's as happy as a clam.

I move fast like a cheetah on the Serengeti.

The sea lashed out in anger at the ships, unwilling to tolerate another battle.

The sky misses the sun at night.

I've told you a million times to clean your room!

Her head was spinning from all the new information.

She was living her life in chains.

When she saw the dove soar high above her home, she knew the worst was over.

None of these phrases are literal, but you still understand what they mean. They use your senses or experiences to make a point rather than directly explaining what they mean.
Why Use Figurative Language?

Depending on which figurative language you use, you can create different images or arguments for your reader. It's all about choosing the correct wording for what you want to say.

You look like a million bucks. (You look wonderful.)

You look like an angel. (You look beautiful.)

You look like something the cat dragged in. (You look terrible.)

You look like you've seen a ghost. (You look terrified.)

You look like death warmed up. (You look sick.)

You look like a spring morning. (You look refreshed and healthy.)

You look like an old mop. (You're not attractive.)

Examples of Figurative Language: The 9 Types

Any time you're using language that shouldn't be taken literally, you're using figurative language. You can group most examples of figurative language into nine different types.

Examples of Allusion

Allusions reference something famous that readers likely know about. They can refer to written works, songs, famous people, historical events, mythological figures, or even television shows.

He was the Romeo to her Juliet. (Refers to Romeo and Juliet)

I made a Herculean effort this year. (Refers to the myth of Hercules)

You always want the forbidden fruit. (Refers to the story of Adam and Eve)

This job is my white whale. (Refers to Moby Dick)

Red velvet cake is my kryptonite. (Refers to the Superman comics)

Cupid's arrows always seem to miss me. (Refers to the Roman god Cupid)

Don't be such a Scrooge this Christmas. (Refers to A Christmas Carol)

Make sure not to tell he-who-shall-not-be-named. (Refers to Harry Potter)

Examples of Hyperbole Examples of Idioms Metaphor Examples

Metaphors make comparisons between two things that share one attribute. They state that one thing is another thing. But like all figurative language, metaphors aren't literal. You need to think about each thing to figure out how they are alike.

You're likely to find metaphors in poems and poetic language, but they also appear in everyday speech.

Metonymy Examples

In metonymy (met-ON-oh-me) a word becomes linked with a larger concept to the point where it can stand for that concept.

Personification Examples Simile Examples

A simile compares two things using the words like or as. Unlike metaphors, they explicitly state the quality they're comparing between two things.

Symbolism Examples Synecdoche Examples

A synecdoche (sin-ECK-doh-key) uses part of a noun to represent the whole thing. It can also use the whole noun to represent part of a noun.

You've Hit the (Figurative) Jackpot

Using figurative language is like finding buried treasure. (See what we did there?) Once you know how to use the different types of figurative language, your writing will engage readers even better.

But figurative language isn't just a writing tool - it can be an effective way to make your point in different types of writing. You can even use figurative language as a rhetorical device to convince your audience to agree with you - for better or for worse.

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Figurative Language Examples: Guide to 9 Common Types

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Image Credits blue circles with figurative language definition and example sentences Created by Karina Goto for YourDictionary Owned by YourDictionary, Copyright YourDictionary If you tell someone "You look like a million bucks," you're not saying that they look like a stack of cash. You're using figurative language to say that they look really good.

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Definition: The overall message or lesson that applies to life that you can infer from the poem.

Example:
The waking sunshine,
the sleepy sunset,
the bright faces,
that is family.

The warm feeling,
the tears that get wiped,
the hug that holds you tight,
that is family.

The tearless nights,
the everyday smiles,
the echoed laughs,
that is family.

Theme: Your family is the most important thing.

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METAPHORS & SIMILES - Fresh ED Music Video | Urban Arts Partnership

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What is a metaphor? Simply put, a metaphor is a figure of speech containing an implied comparison. With metaphors, words or phrases that are ordinarily applied to one thing are applied to something you wouldn't necessarily pair it with.

Here's a metaphor example: "The curtain of night fell upon us." In this metaphor, the evening did not develop into a velvet curtain. Rather, simple words are being used to paint a colorful picture. Now, we know it is nighttime, but it's been written in a manner that alludes to how quickly night arrived with the kind of darkness that comes from closing a thick curtain.

Metaphors are members of the figurative language family, which also include elements like similes, onomatopoeias, and personification. Let's take a closer look at this prominent branch of the figurative language family tree.

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Types of Metaphors

Just as there are many ways to paint metaphorical pictures, there are many different types of metaphors. Let's take a look at some of the most popular forms:

Absolute Metaphors - These metaphors compare two things that have no obvious connection, in order to make a striking point. For example, "She is doing a tightrope walk with her grades this semester."

Dead Metaphors - Like clichés, these metaphors have lost their punch through over-usage. For example, "You light up my life."

Extended Metaphors - These are exactly as they sound. They're lengthy metaphors that are intended to create deep comparisons, as in this classic example from Romeo and Juliet: "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief."

Implied Metaphors - These metaphors compare two things without using specific terms. For example, "Spending too much time with him is worse than swimming in a sea of sharks."

Mixed Metaphors - These metaphors jumble comparisons together, often without any logic. For example, "In the heat of the moment, she turned to ice and danced to the beat of her own drum."

Root Metaphors - These metaphors are so rooted in everyday language and assumptions, we hardly even recognize them as metaphors. You could liken them to dead metaphors or clichés, due to their over usage. For example, "Life is a journey."

Illustrated Comparisons

Metaphors are illustrations that make a strong point by comparing two things you wouldn't necessarily pair together. Remember our curtain of night? Didn't that give the impression of a very dark night? Isn't that more exciting than, "It got dark outside."

Ready to have some fun? Here are 20 metaphor examples:

"I'm drowning in a sea of grief."
Here grief is so overwhelming that the person feels helpless, like they're being pulled underwater.

"She was fishing for compliments."
The woman isn't literally casting a lure to hook compliments out of the ocean. Rather, it's a dead metaphor used to signify a desire for accolades.

"Success is a sense of achievement; it is not an illegitimate child."
This saying reinforces the belief that everyone wants to take credit for success, but no one wants to take responsibility for their failings.

"He broke my heart."
Your heart isn't literally broken; you're just feeling hurt and sad.

"You light up my life."
Of course, no one can provide physical light. This expression is simply saying that someone brings them joy.

"It's raining men."
Hallelujah! No, men don't literally pour from the sky. This simply indicates that a lucky lady has a lot of male suitors.

"Time is a thief."
Fortunately, time doesn't put on a ski mask and lurk around dark corners. This metaphor illustrates the point that time seems to pass quickly and our lives flash by.

"He is the apple of my eye."
There is, of course, no apple in someone's eye. The apple is someone held dear.

"She has such a bubbly personality."
No one's personality can bubble up like a glass of champagne. This metaphor is used to signify someone who's especially cheerful.

"I'm feeling blue."
Until we become like the little girl in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, none of us are likely to turn as blue as a blueberry. This metaphor means someone is sad.

"I think he's about to fade off to sleep."
Fortunately, none of us fade into thin air when we fall asleep. This expression simply means that someone has drifted into a state of slumber.

"He really flared up my temper."
When someone flares up your temper, flames don't spew out of your body, you're just deeply angry.

"He reeks of infidelity."
When this is said about a cheating partner, it doesn't mean there's an actual odor. This metaphor is saying it's obvious the person is a liar and a cheat.

"She's going through a rollercoaster of emotions."
Our emotions can't take a ride on a rollercoaster. This metaphor simply means the person's going through a lot of different moods.

"I feel the stench of failure coming on."
Failure isn't fun but it doesn't smell. So, when this metaphor is used, it means one of life's disappointments is on the way.

"This is the icing on the cake."
While cake is always welcome, cake with icing is even better. This means something wonderful has happened on the heels of a happy day.

"Hope is on the horizon."
Hope is an intangible thing that doesn't bob along the horizon. This metaphor indicates good things are in one's future.

"Life contains nothing but clear skies up ahead."
This metaphor refers to a life devoid of disaster and heartache.

"His words cut deeper than a knife."
Words don't materialize into sharp objects. In this metaphor, someone has said something hurtful to another.

"The moonlight sparkled brighter than a gypsy."
The moonlight didn't transform into a colorful gypsy. Rather, it lit up the night with sparkling radiance.

Purpose of Metaphors

Do you see how metaphors tend to pair the intangible with the literal? When used properly, metaphors create strong images and leave lasting impressions: "He was sad" is so bland compared to "He was drowning in a sea of grief."

Likewise, metaphors allow us to have a greater impact on the readers. With them, we can convey a thought more forcefully than with an ordinary statement. And, even though metaphors are exaggerations, they're only exaggerated to paint a vivid picture or make a profound statement.

Metaphors lend themselves particularly well to poetry because they have the ability to paint pictures in the reader's mind. You can see this clearly in YouDictionary's Examples of Metaphors in Poems article.

To teach younger children the joys of writing, check out our Metaphor Examples for Kids. We hope they'll go on to enjoy a happy friendship with these colorful facets of the English language.

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What is a metaphor? Simply put, a metaphor is a figure of speech containing an implied comparison. With metaphors, words or phrases that are ordinarily applied to one thing are applied to something you wouldn't necessarily pair it with. Here's a metaphor example: "The curtain of night fell upon us."

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Definition of Theme

As a literary device, theme refers to the central, deeper meaning of a written work. Writers typically will convey the theme of their work, and allow the reader to perceive and interpret it, rather than overtly or directly state the theme. As readers infer, reflect, and analyze a literary theme, they develop a greater understanding of the work itself and can apply this understanding beyond the literary work as a means of grasping a better sense of the world. Theme is often what creates a memorable and significant experience of a literary work for the reader.

Themes are often subject to the reader's perception and interpretation. This means that readers may find primary and/or secondary themes in a work of literature that the author didn't intend to convey. Therefore, theme allows for literature to remain meaningful, "living" works that can be revisited and analyzed in perpetuity by many readers at once or by a single reader across time.

For example, William Shakespeare's well-known tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, has been performed and read countless times and by countless people since its publication in 1597:

Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-browed night;
Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night

Even those who have not directly heard or read the lines of this play are familiar with its theme of the power of romantic love and its potentially devastating effects.

Common Examples of Literary Themes

Many works of literature share common themes and central ideas. As a literary device, theme allows the author to present and reveal all aspects of human nature and the human condition. This enhances the enjoyment and significance of a literary work for readers by encouraging thought, interpretation, and analysis. Discovery and analysis of theme is also one of the primary reasons that readers return to "classic" literary works that are centuries old. There is no end or expiration to the significance and impact theme can have on readers of literature.

Here are some common examples of literary themes:

Famous Examples of Disney Movies and Their Themes

Of course, theme is an essential literary device in terms of written works. However, nearly all works of art feature theme as an underlying meaning to be understood and interpreted by the audience. Here are some famous examples of Disney movies and their related themes:

Peter Pan: out-growing the world of childhood

Mulan: girls/women can do battle as honorably as boys/men

The Sword in the Stone: education and courage are stronger than brawn and force

Cinderella: kindness and inner beauty are rewarded

Pinocchio: dishonesty leads to trouble

Aladdin: the best course of action is to be who you are

The Rescuers: it doesn't take great size to make a difference

: jealousy can lead to cruelty

The Fox and the Hound: the importance of friendship

The Little Mermaid: love often requires choices and sacrifices

Difference Between Theme and Subject Matter

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine the difference between the theme and subject matter of a literary work. They are both closely related to each other; however, the subject matter is the topic that is overtly addressed and presented by the writer whereas the theme is the meaning or underlying message that is imparted through the writing.

The subject matter of a written work is what the text is about and is, typically, clearly indicated by the writer. The theme of a literary work reflects why it was written and what the author hopes to convey on a deeper level to the reader without direct statements. A reader may infer and a writer may imply a theme within a literary work. However, the subject matter of a literary work is not inferred by the reader or implied by the writer; it is overtly stated and understood.

For example, in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the subject matter is two young people from feuding families who fall deeply in love with each other. One theme of this play, and Romeo and Juliet certainly features several themes, is the power of romantic love and the futility of others to stop it. The subject matter is almost exclusively related to the foundational elements of the story, such as what happens and to which characters. The theme, in contrast, is the lingering meaning and thought left to the reader as a means of reaching a greater understanding of the play itself and the larger concept of love.

Examples of Theme in Literature

As a literary device, the purpose of theme is the main idea or underlying meaning that is explored by a writer in a work of literature. Writers can utilize a combination of elements in order to convey a story's theme, including setting, plot, characters, dialogue, and more. For certain works of literature, such as fables, the theme is typically a " moral " or lesson for the reader. However, more complex works of literature tend to have a central theme that is open to interpretation and reflects a basic aspect of society or trait of humanity. Many longer works of literature, such as novels, convey several themes in order to explore the universality of human nature.

Here are some examples of theme in well-known works of literature:

Example 1: The Yellow Wall-Paper (Charlotte Perkins Gilman)

If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the
matter with one but temporary nervous depression - a slight hysterical tendency - what is one to do?

My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing. *

So I take phosphates or phosphites whichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely
forbidden to "work" until I am well again.

Personally, I disagree with their ideas.

Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good.

In her short story, Charlotte Perkins Gilman holds forth a revolutionary theme for the time period. The protagonist of the story is kept in a room with sickly yellow wall-paper as a means of "curing" her emotional and mental difficulties. Her husband, brother, and others are committed to keeping her idle. She is even separated from her baby. Rather than allow the narrator any agency over her daily life, they disregard her words and requests for the fact that she is a woman and considered incompetent.

Gilman conveys a theme of rebellion and feminism to the reader as the narrator begins to embrace the "trapped" woman she has become. Therefore, this allows the reader to perceive the narrator as an empowered figure in many ways, as opposed to one that is oppressed or incompetent.

Example 2: Harlem (Langston Hughes)

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over-
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Hughes's well-known poem explores the universality of hope and dreams among humans and the devastating legacy of oppression in deferring such hope and dreams. Hughes structures the poem in the form of questions and responses addressing what happens to a dream deferred. This calls on the reader to consider their own dreams as well those of others, which underscores the theme that dreams, and the hope associated with them, is universal-regardless of race, faith, etc.

Tied to this theme is the deferment of dreams, reflecting the devastating consequences of racism and oppression on the hopes of those who are persecuted. Therefore, the underlying theme of the poem that Hughes conveys to the reader is that, though dreams and hopes are universal, the dreams and hopes of certain members of society are put off and postponed due to the oppression of their race.

Example 3: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (James Joyce)

I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it calls itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defense the only arms I allow myself to use - silence, exile, and cunning.

Joyce incorporates several themes in his novel. However, as this passage indicates, the central theme of this literary work is the tension between individual artistic expression the demands of society for conformity. The novel's main character, Stephen Dedalus, faces conflicting loyalties on one side to his family, church, and country, and on the other side to his life as an artist and dedication to artistic expression.

Through the experiences and conflicts facing the novel's protagonist, Joyce is able to convey his exploration of the theme of the artist's role in society. This includes freedom of individual expression versus the constraints of societal conventions. As a result, this theme is imparted to the reader who is able to interpret and analyze aspects of the novel's central meaning. By the end of Joyce's novel, the theme culminates in Stephen Dedalus's decision to isolate himself from family, church, and country, to pursue his art. Therefore, the reader's inference of the novel's theme impacts their perception and understanding of the story's resolution as well as the broader concept of the artist's role in society.

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Theme - Examples and Definition of Theme as a literary device

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Theme is defined as a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work which is conveyed by an author and interpreted by a reader.

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Definition: Comparing two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”

Example: Her beautiful eyes sparkled like diamonds in the sky.

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METAPHORS & SIMILES - Fresh ED Music Video | Urban Arts Partnership

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Definition: Giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.

Example: My bed was calling me as I was doing my last homework assignment.

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Image Credits

personification car was suffering

Creative_Outlet / ThinkStock

Used under Getty Images license

Everyone knows what a person is, but do you know what personification is? Personification is a type of metaphor and a common literary tool. It is when you assign the qualities of a person to something that isn't human or that isn't even alive, such as nature or household items. Explore these personification examples to see how well you understand the concept.

What Is Personification?

Personification is a literary technique writers use to add human qualities to non-human things. It helps the reader relate to and create a picture in their mind when stars dance or opportunities knock. Explore a few famous examples of personification in literature.

Two Sunflowers Move Into the Yellow Room by Nancy Willard

In this poem, the sunflowers are talking to the famous poet William Blake. They are tired of being outside and tell him that they want to be moved. We know that sunflowers cannot be tired or talk, so Willard uses personification to give them these attributes.

"'Ah, William, we're weary of weather,'
said the sunflowers, shining with dew.
' Our traveling habits have tired us.
Can you give us a room with a view?'

They arranged themselves at the window
and counted the steps of the sun,
and they both took root in the carpet
where the topaz tortoises run."

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth's poem brings the beauty and tranquility of nature to life. The daffodils are personified as a crowd of people dancing, while Wordsworth floats like a cloud enjoying the show.

"I wandered lonely as a cloud
that floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance."

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

The great William Shakespeare uses personification throughout Romeo and Juliet. One example is in Act 2 when Friar Lawrence is picking flowers for his various potions. In describing the morning as smiling at the night, he is personifying the morning and establishing a romantic setting for Romeo and Juliet's love to unfold.

"The grey-ey'd morn smiles on the frowning night,
Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light."

Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

In the poem " Paul Revere's Ride," Longfellow uses personification to describe the flow of the wind. The way he words the passage makes it easy to see the wind swirling past the tents. Check out an excerpt of this poem.

"Beneath, in the churchyard, lay the dead,
In their night-encampment on the hill,
Wrapped in silence so deep and still
That he could hear, like a sentinel's tread,
The watchful night-wind, as it went
Creeping along from tent to tent,
And seeming to whisper, "All is well!"
A moment only he feels the spell
Of the place and the hour, and the secret dread
Of the lonely belfry and the dead;
For suddenly all his thoughts are bent
On a shadowy something far away,
Where the river widens to meet the bay,-
A line of black, that bends and floats
On the rising tide, like a bridge of boats."

Whatif by Shel Silverstein

Famous poet and author Shel Silverstein uses personification to show how doubts can crawl into your mind. This effective literary device creates a beautiful image in your mind of the doubts filling this child.

"Last night, while I lay thinking here,
some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
and pranced and partied all night long
and sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I'm dumb in school?
Whatif they've closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there's poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I don't grow talle?
Whatif my head starts getting smaller?
Whatif the fish won't bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth don't grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems well, and then
the nighttime Whatifs strike again!"

Why Use Personification?

There are many reasons for using personification. It can be used as a method of describing something so that others can more easily understand it. It can be used to emphasize a point. You can also use personification to help paint a picture in your mind. You may even use personification without knowing it.

Ways to Use Personification

Personification is all about giving your writing more pop! For example, rather than saying, "The stars twinkled in the sky," you can say, "The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky." The second sentence adds an illustrative effect to the sentence. In your mind, you can see the twinkling stars dancing in the moonlight. Explore a few examples of how personification adds to the sentence meaning.

The run-down house appeared depressed.

The first rays of morning tiptoed through the meadow.

He did not realize that his last chance was walking out the door.

The bees played hide and seek with the flowers as they buzzed from one to another.

The snow swaddled the earth like a mother would her infant child.

The river swallowed the earth as the water continued to rise higher and higher.

The ocean waves lashed out at the boat, and the storm continued to brew.

My computer throws a fit every time I try to use it.

The thunder grumbled like an old man.

The flowers waltzed in the gentle breeze.

Her life wandered past.

The sun glared down at me from the sky.

The car was suffering and was in need of some TLC.

At precisely 6:30 AM, my alarm clock sprang to life.

The window panes were talking as the wind blew through them.

The ocean danced in the moonlight.

The words leapt off of the paper as she read the story.

The phone awakened with a mighty ring.

The funeral raced by me in a blur.

Find the Personification Examples

Do you think that you understand what personification is? Then you might want to try your hand at finding personification in a sentence. Remember, it gives human behaviors and gestures to nonhuman things or ideas.

1. The car, painted lime green, raced by screaming for attention.

2. The butterflies in the meadow seemed to two-step with one another.

3. The thunder yelled angrily in the distance.

4. The tornado ran through town without a care.

5. The door protested as it opened slowly.

6. The evil tree was lurking in the shadows.

7. The tree branch moaned as I swung from it.

8. Time marches to the beat of its own drum.

9. The storm attacked the town with great rage.

10. My life came screeching to a halt.

11. The blizzard swallowed the town.

12. The tsunami raced towards the coastline.

13. The avalanche devoured everything in its path.

14. The pistol glared at me from its holster.

15. I could hear Hawaii calling my name.

Find the Personification Examples Answers

The subject of the personification and the human characteristic it was assigned are both in bold. How many did you get right?

1. The car, painted lime green, raced by screaming for attention.

2. The butterflies in the meadow seemed to two-step with one another.

3. The thunder yelled angrily in the distance.

4. The tornado ran through town without a care.

5. The door protested as it opened slowly.

6. The evil tree was lurking in the shadows.

7. The tree branch moaned as I swung from it.

8. Time marches to the beat of its own drum.

9. The storm attacked the town with great rage.

10. My life came screeching to a halt.

11. The blizzard swallowed the town.

12. The tsunami raced towards the coastline.

13. The avalanche devoured everything in its path.

14. The pistol glared at me from its holster.

15. I could hear Hawaii calling my name.

Personification vs. Anthropomorphism

There is often confusion between personification and anthropomorphism. While they are similar, there is a distinct difference.

Personification is when you give an object or animal human behaviors. An example of personification would be in the nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle," where "the little dog laughed to see such fun."

Anthropomorphism is when you make an object or animal dress and behave like a human. An example of anthropomorphism is Peter Rabbit, a bunny who wears a coat and talks.

So, personification gives human traits while anthropomorphism makes something act like a human. Most Disney moves use anthropomorphism.

Purpose of Personification

As seen by the examples, personification is used to assign human qualities to things that are not human, but it does not make them completely behave like a human. The purpose of this figurative language is to bring inanimate things to life to better explain them. Writers often use personification to make their writing more vivid and to have the reader understand the object or animal in a better way. Keep having fun with this literary device by checking out humorous examples of personification in poetry.

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Examples of Personification: What It Is and How to Use It

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Image Credits personification car was suffering Creative_Outlet / ThinkStock Used under Getty Images license Everyone knows what a person is, but do you know what personification is? Personification is a type of metaphor and a common literary tool.

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Definition: The repetition of the same consonant sounds in a group of words.

Example: She sells seashells by the sea shore.

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Poetic Devices: Alliteration - Examples & Meaning

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Image Credits

Sheep With Alliteration Example

sheep: Jane Semina / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Background: Tolchik / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Used under Getty Images license

Alliteration happens when words that start with the same sound (not just the same letter) are used repeatedly in a phrase or sentence. The sound is a consonant sound, and the words don't have to be right next to one another. Alliteration can make ordinary sentences sound funny, so get ready for giggles with these alliteration examples for kids!

Examples of Alliterative Sentences

When you repeat the first consonant sound more than once in a sentence, it's alliteration. It's different from consonance or assonance, which also repeat sounds but do it in other parts of the sentence. Most alliteration comes from repeated first letters (such as " calling cats"), but it also works with repeated sounds and different letters (such as " calling k ittens").

More examples of alliterative sentences include:

Claire, close your cluttered closet.

The big bad bear bored the baby bunnies by the bushes.

Shut the shutters before the shouting makes you shudder.

Go and gather the green leaves on the grass.

Please put away your paints and practice the piano.

Rachel ran right until she realized she was running round and round.

I had to hurry home where grandma was waiting for her waffles.

The boy buzzed around as busy as a bee.

Garry grumpily gathered the garbage.

Those lazy lizards are lying like lumps in the leaves.

Paula planted the pretty pink poppies in the pot.

Kim came to help us cut out a colorful kite for Chris.

Bake a big cake with lots of butter and bring it to the birthday bash.

Paula's prancing pony out-performed all the others.

Little Larry likes licking the sticky lollipop.

Alliteration in Rhymes and Stories

Reading alliteration in nursery rhymes and stories is fun and entertaining for children. These phrases can help kids develop memory skills and phonics awareness.

You can find alliteration in the following lines from children's stories:

"Three grey geese in a green field grazing. Grey were the geese and green was the grazing." - " Three Grey Geese," Mother Goose

"Great Aunt Nellie and Brent Bernard who watch with wild wonder at the wide window as the beautiful birds begin to bite into the bountiful birdseed." - Thank-You for the Thistle, Dorie Thurston

"Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said, this butter's bitter; if I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter, but a bit of better butter will make my batter better." - " Betty Botter," Carolyn Wells

"My counters and cupboards were completely cleared of carrot cake, cornbread and crackers." - Betty's Burgled Bakery, Travis Nichols

"Slowly the slug started up the steep surface, stringing behind it scribble sparkling like silk." - Some Smug Slug, Pamela Duncan Edwards

Alliteration Tongue Twisters

One of the fun features of alliteration is when it becomes a tongue twister. Try saying these alliterative tongue-twister examples quickly!

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

A good cook could cook as many cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies.

Black bug bit a big black bear. But where is the big black bear that the big black bug bit?

Sheep should sleep in a shed.

A big bug bit the little beetle but the little beetle bit the big bug back.

Show Shawn Sharon's shabby shoes.

Silly Sally swiftly shooed seven silly sheep. The seven silly sheep Silly Sally shooed shilly-shallied south. These sheep shouldn't sleep in a shack.

Alliteration in Names

You probably see lots of examples of alliteration when you watch commercials or drive down the street. Some common examples of alliteration in brand names and character names include:

Chuck E. Cheese's

Coca-Cola

Donald Duck

Dunkin' Donuts

Krispy Kreme

Mickey Mouse

Peppa Pig

Peter Parker

Seattle Seahawks

Spongebob Squarepants

Teen Titans

Wonder Woman

Alliteration Examples Printable

Want to hang a poster about alliteration in your classroom? Download and print the image below for a handy reference guide to alliteration examples for kids.

Have Fun with Language

Alliteration is an exciting way to illustrate major points and make names memorable. Teaching kids to incorporate this into their creative writing is a fabulous way to spark a lifelong love for the written word. When you're ready, continue the journey with more alliteration examples. And when it's time to challenge yourself, sprinkle in a few examples of alliteration poems.

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Image Credits Sheep With Alliteration Example sheep: Jane Semina / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Background: Tolchik / iStock / Getty Images Plus Used under Getty Images license Alliteration happens when words that start with the same sound (not just the same letter) are used repeatedly in a phrase or sentence.

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Definition: The atmosphere or emotion in the poem created by the words used by the poet.

Example:
happy, angry, silly, sad,
thoughtful, excited, fearful

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Definition of Mood

As a literary device, mood refers to the emotional response that the writer wishes to evoke in the reader through a story. This response can range anywhere from feelings of calm, fear, anger, or joy depending on the literary work. In general, short stories and poems feature a consistent mood due to their length. Novels can feature more than one mood, although readers will typically identify an overall emotional response to the work as a whole. Mood allows a writer to create a memorable and meaningful story with which the reader can connect. In addition, writers reveal their artistic use of language and creative skills when establishing the mood of a literary work.

For example, in her novel about the relationships between mothers and daughters, Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club utilizes mood as a literary device to evoke emotions in the reader as a parallel for the way the mother characters attempt to emotionally connect with their daughters.

It's not that we had no heart or eyes for pain. We were all afraid. We all had our miseries. But to despair was to wish for something already lost. Or to prolong what was already unbearable...What was worse, to sit and wait for our own deaths with proper somber faces? Or to choose our own happiness?

In this passage, though the subject matter centers around pain, despair, and loss, the mood of the narrative is hopeful. Tan intentionally establishes this mood to evoke hope in readers in the same way that the mothers in the novel wish to inspire and evoke hope in their daughters.

Common Examples of Adjectives to Describe Mood

As a literary device, mood represents the emotional quality of a story that is created through the writer's use of language. Mood can be evoked through description of events in a story, its setting, reactions among characters, and even through the story's outcome or resolution of the conflict.

Here are some common examples of adjectives to describe mood:

Examples of How Writers Establish Mood

Mood is an essential literary device to bring cohesion to a story and create an emotional response in readers. This response allows readers to experience emotion and connection within a story, making the literary work more meaningful and memorable. When writers establish mood, it should be consistent with the literary work so that the mood is not disjointed from the story yet remains emotionally accessible and resonant for readers. Though it may seem difficult to achieve mood in a story without being too overt or too subtle for readers, writers can rely on four techniques to craft this literary device.

Here are some examples of how writers establish mood:

Setting

A story's setting refers to its "physical" location and time frame in which it takes place. Setting can have a distinct impact on the mood of a story. For example, if a story is set in an idyllic pasture on a sunny day, readers will be inclined to expect a happy mood. In turn, if a story is set in a futuristic dystopia, readers may expect a mood of tension or hopelessness.

Tone

Though tone and mood appear similar, they are distinct. Mood indicates the emotions evoked in the reader by the story. Tone refers to the narrator's attitude toward the events taking place in the story, which can also evoke emotion in a reader. The tone of a narrator can contribute to a story's mood by enhancing the reader's emotional response.

Choice of Words

Word choice in a story is key to establishing its mood. This includes the way words "sound" to a reader, perhaps harsh or loving, and the use of connotative meanings of words. For example, if a writer states that a family returned to their house, the implied meaning is that the family has come back to the structure in which they live. If, instead, a writer states that a family has returned to their home, the implied meaning is that the family has come back to a place of comfort and belonging. A writer's choice of words is significant in establishing a story's mood by evoking emotional responses in readers.

Subject Matter

The subject matter of a story can also help establish its mood. For example, a story about war is likely to feature a sad mood, whereas a story about romantic love is likely to feature a happy mood.

Difference Between Mood and Atmosphere

Though mood and atmosphere can seem interchangeable as literary devices, they are distinguishable. Essentially, mood is a literary device that is created directly by the writer to evoke an emotion in the reader. Atmosphere is a general feeling or sensation generated by the environment of a scene in a literary work. Atmosphere is a feeling imposed on the reader rather than an emotion evoked in a reader. For example, the atmosphere of a very dramatic scene in literature may be described as restrictive. However, "restrictive" is not applicable in describing the mood and emotion of the reader in response to the scene. Instead, restrictive applies to the atmospheric feeling of the environment created in the scene, not the mood.

Examples of Mood in Literature

Establishing mood in a story, poem, novel, or other fictional work is an essential literary device. Mood engages the reader with the narrative and helps them understand many aspects of a story on an emotional level. This allows the reader to make further connections with the literary work as the writer is able to express deeper meaning.

Here are some examples of mood in well-known literature:

Example 1: Eurydice (H.D.)

So you have swept me back,
I who could have walked with the live souls
above the earth,
I who could have slept among the live flowers
at last;

so for your arrogance
and your ruthlessness
I am swept back
where dead lichens drip
dead cinders upon moss of ash;

so for your arrogance
I am broken at last,
I who had lived unconscious,
who was almost forgot;

In her poem, H.D. gives Eurydice (a nymph in Greek mythology, daughter of Apollo, and wife of Orpheus) a voice to express her anger and resentment at her fate. Orpheus has the chance to rescue Eurydice from the Underworld and bring her back to life on Earth, under the condition that he not look back at her until both of them are touched by daylight. Unfortunately, Orpheus looks back at Eurydice as soon as he reaches the surface, not waiting for her to do the same, and she is banished once again to the Underworld forever.

The mood of the poem that H.D. establishes for the reader on the part of Eurydice is anger and resentment at Orpheus for his actions in determining her fate. This is clear through her choice of words such as "arrogance," "ruthlessness," and "broken." However, there is an overarching mood of anguish in the poem as well that evokes the same feeling for readers. This anguish is a result of the "promise" of being brought back to life on Earth and all its beauty for Eurydice. She is in as much pain for the reawakening of hope in her at the thought of being among the living, and the anguished mood of the poem evokes these emotions in the reader as well.

Example 2: And Then There Were None (Agatha Christie)

The others went upstairs, a slow unwilling procession. If this had been an old house, with creaking wood, and dark shadows, and heavily panelled walls, there might have been an eerie feeling. But this house was the essence of modernity. There were no dark corners - no possible sliding panels - it was flooded with electric light - everything was new and bright and shining. There was nothing hidden in this house, nothing concealed. It had no atmosphere about it. Somehow, that was the most frightening thing of all. They exchanged good- nights on the upper landing. Each of them went into his or her own room, and each of them automatically, almost without conscious thought, locked the door....

In her well-known novel, Christie makes an interesting and clear delineation between mood and atmosphere in a narrative. The atmosphere of the house where the group is staying is modern, new, and open, and therefore emanates what should be a non-threatening feeling to the characters and readers as well. However, in describing the behavior of the characters in this "non-threatening" setting, the mood of the story becomes ominous and foreboding. Therefore, Christie utilizes mood as a literary device to evoke feelings in the reader of nervousness and fear even though the atmosphere of the setting does not appear frightening. This makes for an engaging and memorable reading experience.

Example 3: The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)

He looked across the sea and knew how alone he was now. But he could see the prisms in the deep dark water and the line stretching ahead and the strange undulation of the calm. The clouds were building up now for the trade wind and he looked ahead and saw a flight of wild ducks etching themselves against the sky over the water, then blurring, then etching again and he knew no man was ever alone on the sea.

In his well-known novel, Hemingway portrays a character (the old man) who lives much of his life in isolation and often suffers from loneliness. However, as demonstrated in this passage, the overall mood of the story reflects the comforting presence of nature, which eases the man's feelings of loneliness and those of the reader as well. Hemingway establishes this mood through the peaceful and comforting tone of the narrator towards the old man and the setting, which influences the reader's emotions.

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Mood - Examples and Definition of Mood as a Literary Device

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As a literary device, mood refers to the emotional response that the writer wishes to evoke in the reader through a story. This response can range anywhere from feelings of calm, fear, anger, or joy depending on the literary work. In general, short stories and poems feature a consistent mood due to their length.

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Definition: The basic rhythmic structure of a line within a work of poetry

Example: Shall I /com pare /thee to / a sum / mer's day?
- William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 18"

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How to find Syllables and meter in poems. (01)

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Meter - Examples and Definition of Meter

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Meter is a stressed and unstressed syllabic pattern in a verse or within the lines of a poem that adds structure and musicality.

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Symbolism is the practice or art of using an object or a word to represent an abstract idea. An action, person, place, word, or object can all have a symbolic meaning.

Examples of Symbolism

When an author wants to suggest a certain mood or emotion, he can also use symbolism to hint at it, rather than just blatantly saying it. Let's explore some examples of symbolism in the arts and our everyday lives.

Symbolism in Everyday Life

Our language contains an immense number of symbols whose intended meaning or significance is well-known and accepted by the majority. Of course, many of these do wind up in books, magazines, stories, and other written works.

Symbolic Colors

Symbolism is often found in colors:

Black is used to represent death or evil.

White stands for life and purity.

Red can symbolize blood, passion, danger, or immoral character.

Purple is a royal color.

Yellow stands for violence or decay.

Blue represents peacefulness and calm.

Symbolic Objects

Everyday objects are often used to symbolize something else:

A chain can symbolize the coming together of two things.

A ladder can represent the relationship between heaven and earth or ascension.

A mirror can denote the sun but, when it is broken, it can represent an unhappy union or a separation.

Animals as Symbols

When we read a book or enjoy a poem, any animals added to the story can convey a message or work as part of the theme. Let's take a look at a few examples:

Weather as Symbols

Also in works of literature, a writer might spend a moment describing the weather in a particular scene. This is likely for a reason. Let's take a look at a few examples:

Metaphors as Symbolism

A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses symbolism. It compares two things that aren't similar and proves they actually have something in common. In a metaphor, there is an additional meaning to a word. This makes it an example of symbolism.

Examples of symbolism that take the form of metaphors include:

Allegory as Symbolism

Sometimes symbolism takes the form of a literary tool called an allegory. An allegory is an extended use of symbolism and metaphors. A story, a poem, or even a whole book can be an allegory and the symbolism will permeate throughout.

One example of an allegory is the monologue from Shakespeare in his play As You Like It.

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.

This is symbolic of the fact that people are putting on a show and that they play many roles over the course of their lives.

Symbolism in Art

Typically, artists want to say something with their work and symbols are a great way for them to communicate. In this medium, symbols are often tangible items, like an animal, object, or plant.

Symbolism can also be found in the very colors artists choose to paint with. Colors convey various messages. Perhaps an artist will use a lot of white to emote hope or black to indicate sadness. Let's consider two important periods in art history and see how symbolism affected the work produced during that time.

Renaissance Period

During the Renaissance period, a lot of the art was Biblical in nature. This was done so people who couldn't read or write could still understand the messages from the Bible.

As such, we saw a lot of serpents (representing the devil), lambs (representing peace), gardens (representing paradise), and crosses (representing Jesus' sacrifice).

Roaring Twenties

During the Roaring Twenties, there began a period of experimentation and freedom. Masters like Picasso, De Gaulle, and Chagall made their mark.

Another famous fellow was Paul Klee, a Swiss painter known for his extensive use of symbolism. Some of his favorite symbols were stick figures, moon faces, fish, and arrows. He wanted to express a different, simpler reality than the complex material world we live in.

Symbolism in Literature

Symbolism is often used by writers to enhance their writing. Symbolism can give a literary work more richness and color and can make the meaning of the work deeper.

In literature, symbolism can take many forms, including:

A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal meaning

The actions of a character, word, action, or event that have a deeper meaning in the context of the whole story

Brokeback Mountain

In this excerpt from Annie Proulx's Brokeback Mountain. You can feel the torment Ennis is experiencing over the loss of a great love, as symbolized by the two shirts.

At the north end of the closet, a tiny jog in the wall made a slight hiding place and here, stiff with long suspension from a nail, hung a shirt. He lifted it off the nail. Jack's old shirt from Brokeback days. The dried blood on the sleeve was his own blood, a gushing nosebleed on the last afternoon on the mountain when Jack, in their contortionistic grappling and wrestling, had slammed Ennis's nose hard with his knee.

The shirt seemed heavy until he saw there was another shirt inside it, the sleeves carefully worked down inside Jack's sleeves. It was his own plaid shirt, lost, he'd thought, long ago in some damn laundry, his dirty shirt, the pocket ripped, buttons missing, stolen by Jack and hidden here inside Jack's own shirt, the pair like two skins, one inside the other, two in one. He pressed his face into the fabric and breathed in slowly through his mouth and nose, hoping for the faintest smoke and mountain sage and salty sweet stink of Jack, but there was no real scent, only the memory of it, the imagined power of Brokeback Mountain of which nothing was left but what he held in his hands.

See the article Examples of Symbolism in Literature for more uses in great literary works. For more on figures of speech, check out some Examples of Rhetorical Devices in literature.

Symbolism in Poetry

Many poets used symbolism to deepen the meaning of their poems. Here's an example from Sara Teasdale. In her poem "Wild Asters," Teasdale makes use of nature, specifically the spring and daisies, to symbolize youth.

Wild Asters

In the spring I asked the daisies

If his words were true,

And the clever, clear-eyed daisies

Always knew.

Now the fields are brown and barren,

Bitter autumn blows,

And of all the stupid asters

Not one knows.

Look Beyond the Paper

Whether you're enjoying art on a canvas or a novel on a Kindle, look beyond what you glean at first glance. See if there are any elemental symbols being used to convey a message. Here's more on figurative language.

Perhaps a white blanket of snow is telling people to "keep the faith" and never lose hope. Perhaps a scene with eerie morning fog is pointing toward a future battle or dilemma to be solved. You never know!

Together, let's go forward with a keener eye for the layers of symbolism that surround us, both in the physical and the artistic world.

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Symbolism is the practice or art of using an object or a word to represent an abstract idea. An action, person, place, word, or object can all have a symbolic meaning. Examples of Symbolism When an author wants to suggest a certain mood or emotion, he can also use symbolism to hint at it, rather than just blatantly saying it.

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Definition: Graphical elements of a poem refer to the type of capitalization and punctuation it uses, the length of the lines, and the positioning of the words.

Example: A Bird came down the Walk by Emily Dickinson
A Bird came down the Walk—
He did not know I saw—
He bit an Angleworm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw,

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Common Core Standards

Grade:

7th Grade

Standard:

Description:

Analyze the impact of various poetic forms on meaning and style.

Standard:

Description:

analyze the effect of rhyme scheme, meter and graphical elements such as punctuation and capitalization in poems across a variety of poetic forms;

Start Practicing!

7th Grade Reading - Poetry Lesson

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Common Core Standards Grade: 7th Grade Standard: Description: Analyze the impact of various poetic forms on meaning and style. Standard: Description: analyze the effect of rhyme scheme, meter and graphical elements such as punctuation and capitalization in poems across a variety of poetic forms; Start Practicing!

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Definition: The powerful words on a page that form a relationship with you and the writer. Voice is your personality and resonance flowing in print.
Example: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair,
It's had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor
Bare.
**The voice in this poem is a weary mother talking to her son about the hardships of life

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Just like fiction has a narrator, poetry has a speaker-someone who is the voice of the poem. Often times, the speaker is the poet. Other times, the speaker can take on the voice of a persona-the voice of someone else including animals and inanimate objects.
Points of View
Just like fiction, the poem is written in a specific point of view:

First-person (I, me, my, we, us, our)

Second-person (you, your)

Third-person (he, she, it, him, her, his, hers, its, they, them, theirs).

Remember choosing a point of view determines how close the reader is involved in the poem. Third-person point of view will create more distance. The reader will be an observer. Whereas, first-person point of view will draw the reader into the poem. Second-person point of view is occasionally used in poetry. The speaker is speaking directly to his/her readers. Using second-person point of view, however, has to be done carefully as it is a more advanced skill and can be done poorly by an inexperienced writer.
Elements of Voice
Several elements create the speaker's voice: tone, diction, syntax, and audience.

Tone refers to the poet's attitude or position toward the subject. It may be positive, neutral, or negative. Some poets write political poems to make their ideas heard through literature. For example, John McCrae wrote "In Flanders Field" during World War I:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Diction involves the word choices made by the poet. For example, word choice may include slang or dialect. Syntax works with diction; it includes the order or pattern in which the poet places the words in lines.

Finally, the audience, of course, are the intended readers the poet imagines when writing the poems and who they hope will read the poems.
More Than One Voice
A poem may have more than one voice. It's possible to have two or more speakers. For example, Robert Frost in his poem "Home Burial" uses dialogue between two characters-a husband and a wife-as well as a narrator speaker:

"What is it-what?" she said.

"Just that I see."

"You don't," she challenged. "Tell me what it is."

"The wonder is I didn't see at once.
I never noticed it from here before.
I must be wonted to it-that's the reason.
The little graveyard where my people are!
So small the window frames the whole of it.
Not so much larger than a bedroom, is it?
There are three stones of slate and one of marble,
Broad-shouldered little slabs there in the sunlight
On the sidehill. We haven't to mind those.
But I understand: it is not the stones,
But the child's mound--"

"Don't, don't, don't, don't," she cried.

She withdrew shrinking from beneath his arm
That rested on the banister, and slid downstairs;
And turned on him with such a daunting look,
He said twice over before he knew himself:
"Can't a man speak of his own child he's lost?"

"Not you! Oh, where's my hat? Oh, I don't need it!
I must get out of here. I must get air.
I don't know rightly whether any man can."

"Amy! Don't go to someone else this time.
Listen to me. I won't come down the stairs."
He sat and fixed his chin between his fists.
"There's something I should like to ask you, dear."

"You don't know how to ask it."

"Help me, then."
Her fingers moved the latch for all reply.

"There you go sneering now!"

"I'm not, I'm not!
You make me angry. I'll come down to you.
God, what a woman! And it's come to this,
A man can't speak of his own child that's dead."

"I shall laugh the worst laugh I ever laughed.
I'm cursed. God, if I don't believe I'm cursed."

"There, you have said it all and you feel better.
You won't go now. You're crying. Close the door.
The heart's gone out of it: why keep it up.
Amy! There's someone coming down the road!"

"You-oh, you think the talk is all. I must go-
Somewhere out of this house. How can I make you--"

"If-you-do!" She was opening the door wider.
Where do you mean to go? First tell me that.
I'll follow and bring you back by force. I will!-"

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Just like fiction has a narrator, poetry has a speaker-someone who is the voice of the poem. Often times, the speaker is the poet. Other times, the speaker can take on the voice of a persona-the voice of someone else including animals and inanimate objects.

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Definition:  The use of any element of language—a sound, word, phrase, clause, or sentence—more than once.

Example:
Let’s throw sticks in the creek all day.
Let’s not do the things we planned.
Let’s watch sticks flitfloat away.
Everyone will understand.

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poetic device: Repetition

Repetition in poetry is when you repeat individual words, phrases, lines, or entire stanzas throughout the poem. Repetition gives extra strength or emphasis to the idea being repeated.

For example, you might start all of many of the lines of a poem with the same words, such as "I'll never" or "I can't wait for." Or you might repeat a single line more than once to emphasize the point, as in the ending of Robert Frost's poem " Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." You can even repeat an entire stanza more than once; this is called a chorus or a refrain.

If you would like to write your own repetition poems, read this fun poetry-writing lesson.

All of these poems include repetition. Read a few and see if you like repetition in poems.

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Repetition - Kenn Nesbitt's Poetry4kids.com

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Repetition in poetry is when you repeat individual words, phrases, lines, or entire stanzas throughout the poem. Repetition gives extra strength or emphasis to the idea being repeated. For example, you might start all of many of the lines of a poem with the same words, such as "I'll never" or "I can't wait for."

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Definition: The use of images— descriptive, sensory language appealing to the senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
Example:
a sea of cars
honked horns and locked doors fresh rain approaching
checkout line candy
I’d better return this cart fast

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Red Room Poetry Object Poetic Device #2: Imagery | ClickView

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Imagery is one of the literary devices that engage the human senses; sight, hearing, taste, and touch. Imagery is as important as metaphor and simile and can be written without using any figurative language at all. It represents object, action, and idea which appeal our senses. Sometimes it becomes more complex than just a picture. There are five main types of imagery, each related to one of the human senses:

A writer can use single or multiple imageries in his writings. Imagery can be literal. They also allow the readers to directly sympathize with the character and narrator. Through imagery, the reader imagines a similar sensory experience. It helps to build compelling poetry, convincing narratives, clear plays, well-designed film sets, and heart touching descriptive songs. It involves imagination. Hence, writing without imagery would be dull and dry, and writing with imagery can be gripping and vibrant. The necessary sensory detail can allow the reader to understand the character and minute details of writing which a writer wants to communicate. Imagery can be symbolic, which deepens the impact of the text. For more explanation refer to this article: //literarydevices.net/figurative-language/. Here are a few examples of imagery in a poetry:
After Apple picking- Robert Frost
These lines have powerful imagery. We can feel the swaying ladder, see the bending boughs and hear the rumbling sound of apples going in the cellar bin. These lines are literal. Every word means what it typically means. The entire poem is imagery that conveys deep feelings of contemplation and subtle remorse for things left undone to the reader.
Romeo and Juliet -W. Shakespeare

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night,
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear

Here Romeo is comparing the beauty of Juliet. He says that she looks more radiant than brightly lit torches in the hall. Further, he says that her face glows like a precious bright jewel against the dark skin of an African in the night. Here he uses the contrasting images of light and dark to portray her beauty. The imagery also involves the use of figurative language; he uses the simile to enhance the imagery.
To Autumn - John Keats

Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep

To Autumn is rich in imagery, evoking the perception of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The above lines are primarily visual imagery. The tactile imagery (touch) is seen in the warmth of the day, the clammy cells, the soft lifted hair.
Daffodils - W.W.Worth.

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

This is a very good example of imagery. We can see the 'vales and hills' through which the speaker wanders, and the daffodils cover the whole landscape. The poet uses the sense of sight to create a host of golden daffodils beside the lake. The rich golden color is also appealing to our senses.
Prophyria's lover - Robert Browning
In the above lines, uses the sense of touch (tactile imagery). The writer appeals to our sense of touch. For example, the chill of a storm, the sensation when the door is closed to it, and the fire's blaze coming from the furnace grate to describe the warmth of the cottage.
Rain In summer - H.W.LongFellow
In the above lines, the poet has used olfactory imagery (sense of smell). The phrases 'clover- scented' breeze and 'well-watered and smoking soil' paint a clear picture in the reader's mind about the smells after rainfall. For a moment reader finds himself between the prevailing scents of post- rain time.
Kubla Khan - S.T.Coleridge
Here there is the use of visual as well as auditory imageries. The shadow of the dome which is floating on the waves of the river, describes its beauty. In the next line, the reader can hear the mingled sounds of fountain and caves.
Prelude - T.S.Eliot

The winter evening settles down
With smells of steaks in passageways
Six o' clock.
The burnt- out ends of smoky days....
The morning comes to consciousness
Of faint stale smells of beer.

Here the poet uses sharp imagery to help the reader imagine the future of the world. His line 'the faint stale smells of beer' clearly brings the sense of smell to our mind. Later the lines there is olfactory imagery in 'the winter evening settles down/ with the smell of steaks in passageways'.
Summer Night - Alfred Tennyson

And like a ghost, she glimmers on to me.
Now lies the Earth all Danaë to the stars,
And all thy heart lies open unto me.
Now slides the silent meteor on, and leaves
A shining furrow, as thy thoughts in me.
Now folds the lily all her sweetness up,
And slips into the bosom of the lake
So fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip
Into my bosom and be lost in me

The words 'shining, sweetness, slips and glimmer' appeal to our visual senses as he creates a beautiful picture of the night. The shooting stars (meteors) and its shiny tail is a very sparkling image which he uses for young man and woman. The beautiful atmosphere of twilight and gathering darkness filled with stars.
Sweet Potato Pie - James Taylor
In the above lines, we can imagine nature, months and seasons with the help of visual imagery. The words 'tender, sweeter, brighter, softer, deeper and baby's cry' can ingenuously appeal our senses.

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Examples of Imagery in Poetry - Literary Devices

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Imagery is one of the literary devices that engage the human senses; sight, hearing, taste, and touch. Imagery is as important as metaphor and simile and can be written without using any figurative language at all. It represents object, action,... Read more →

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WATCH: Amanda Gorman reads inauguration poem, 'The Hill We Climb'

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WATCH: Amanda Gorman reads her poem, ‘The Miracle of Morning’

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Serena Williams reads "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou

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2013 TN Champ Whitney Baxter recites [i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] by E.E. Cummings