The job of the reader is to make sense of all aspects in a work. To begin learning how to achieve this, we will start with the basics.
Figures of speech are words that do not give a direct, straightforward meaning. They are often used in writing for emphasis or clarity.
In poetry, figures of speech are used frequently. The top three most popular figures of speech are listed below:
Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech comparing two objects. It can compare a symbol to what it represents. Metaphors are often used in poetry in which one thing is pictured as if it were something else.
Simile: A simile is a figure of speech closely related to a metaphor. It is a comparison using “like” or “as.” Unlike metaphors, similes usually don’t elaborate. They do imply feeling and meaning, though.
Personification: Personification is one of the simplest forms of symbolism. Personification is treating an abstraction (symbol) as if it were human.