Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Metonymy:
The examples below include both the metonymy and the
possible words for which the metonymy would fill in:
He is as skinny as a toothpick.
Irony:
Examples of Irony
Irony pervades contemporary language. From its use in
sarcasm, comedy and just everyday conversation, irony has
long transcended from only being a literary device.
Irony Categories
Irony can best be defined as that middle ground between what
is said and what is meant, or others understanding of what
was said and what was meant. It can sometimes be a bit
confusing, yet at the same time it can also be amusing. There
are several examples of irony which can be summed up in
various categories.
Cosmic irony feeds on the notion that people cannot see the
efects of their actions, and sometimes the outcome of a
persons actions may be out of their control.
Dramatic Irony
Dramatic irony occurs when there is miscommunication in a
book, play or film and the audience is smarter than the
characters.
Situational Irony
This type of irony may occur when the outcome of a certain
situation is completely diferent than what was initially
expected. It is often referred to as an irony of events.
Examples of irony in the situational category include a
contradiction or sharp contrast.
Paradox:
I'm nobody.
Wise fool
Bittersweet
Be cruel to be kind
Great Depression
Jumbo shrimp
Cruel to be kind
Pain for pleasure
Clearly confused
Act naturally
Beautifully painful
Painfully beautiful
Deafening silence
Pretty ugly
Pretty fierce
Pretty cruel
Definitely maybe
Living dead
Walking dead
Only choice
Amazingly awful
Alone together
Virtual reality
Random order
Original copy
Happy sad
Disgustingly delicious
Run slowly
Awfully good
Awfully delicious
Small crowd
Dark light
Light darkness
Dark snow
Open secret
Passive aggressive
Appear invisible
Awfully lucky
Awfully pretty
Big baby
Tiny elephant
Wake up dead
Goodbye reception
Allusion:
An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to a
place, person, or something that happened. This can be real or
imaginary and may refer to anything, including paintings,
opera, folk lore, mythical figures, or religious manuscripts. The
reference can be direct or may be inferred, and can broaden
the readers understanding.
Literary Allusions
There are several ways that an allusion can help a writer:
When she lost her job, she acted like a Scrooge, and
refused to buy anything that wasnt necessary. Scrooge
was an extremely stingy character from Charles
Dickens, A Christmas Carol.
Onomatopoeia:
1. The sheep went, Baa.
2. The best part about music class is that you
can bang on the drum.
3. It is not unusual for a dog to bark when visitors arrive.
4. Silence your cellphone so that it does not beep during
the movie.
5. Dad released a belch from the pit of his stomach.
6. The bridge collapsed creating a tremendous boom.
7. The large dog said, Bow-wow!
8. Are you afraid of things that go bump in the night?
9. My brother can burp the alphabet.
10. Both bees and buzzers buzz.
11. The cash register popped open with a heart
warming ca-ching.
12. The birds chirp filled the empty night air.
13. Her heels clacked on the hardwood floor.
is
the
monologue
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 Poetry
Many poets used symbolism to deepen the meaning of their
poems. Here is an excerpt from William Blake's Ah Sunflower.
In it, Blake refers to life cycle and uses sunflowers to represent
humankind and that they desire everlasting life.
Ah Sunflower, weary of time, Who countest the steps of the
sun; Seeking after that sweet golden clime Where the
travelers journey is done;
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.
Symbolism is found in colors:
Symbolic Objects
Objects are often used to symbolize something else:
Flowers as Symbols
Even flowers can have a symbolism:
Antithesis:
Examples of Antithesis
Antithesis means opposite and is used as a literary device to
put two contrasting ideas together. This emphasizes the
diference between the two ideas and adds interest to writing.
Antithesis in Literature
That's one small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind. - Neil Armstrong
Folks who have no vices have very few virtues. Abraham Lincoln
It rained all night the day I left, the weather it was dry,
the sun so hot, I froze to death - Oh Susanna!
You are easy on the eyes, but hard on the heart. - Terri
Clark
Even though the sun is shining, I can feel the rain. Roger Hodgson
It's never too soon, It's never too late - Bethany Joy
Lenz