Usual and Extraordinary Figurative Language PART FOUR! By PerfettoWritingRoom(c)!

This Photo, taken only a few months ago, 2014, in memory of Dorothy Parker, pioneer, female writer, and all around wit.

PART FOUR - TWO of MY FAVORITE Figures of SPEECH!!!

 I'd be a fool and liar both if I said metonymy and synecdoche were easy to tell apart. However, I love wordplay and if you read the differences and then follow the examples below, I think you'll begin to love these as much as I do!

 

11.   Metonymy – A trope in which a thing is represented by another thing that is near, around or closely associated with it. For example, when people refer to: 

• The crown. . . they really mean the king, meaning the entire person, not just the crown he wears.
• The bottle. . .  they really mean liquor in general,  not just the container that holds it.
• Suits. . .they are referring to an entire class of business professionals who wear suits, not just an ensemble that these people might wear on a meeting day.
• The White House. . .they may be referring to government, the governing body, and not to the building itself. 
• Similarly, people may refer to Washington (the District of Columbia) where major political activities take place, even though it is actually district where many other, nonpolitical events take place.
• "Coke" or "Coca-Cola," they may be referring to any dark-colored cola beverage that is near or closely associated with Coke. This would be using a Metonymy, and people do this all the time with brand names like Q-tips, Pampers, Cheerios and other brands out of habit. 
• the statement . . . "Give me your John Hancock" they are referring to a signature in general, and playfully to the famous signature on the Declaration of Independence. In this way your signature is related to another's signature. They obviously want you to write YOUR signature, not Mr. Hancock's! 
• or the saying “The pen is mightier than the sword”. . . they are referring to the written word or even legislation in general for "the pen," and for the "sword" they are referring to combat, war, or violence in general.
• A sweet ride. . . referring to what a car does, and calling it that, a "ride," as opposed to a car.
• "Let's get a keg." (A keg is the large container associated with beer)
• "He drank the cup." (A cup is a container so closely associated with liquids that you understand you are not literally drinking the CUP, but its contents.)

12. Synecdoche - A figure of speech in which a part stands for the whole, or vice versa. If you look at the examples above closely, you will notice that they are not parts of the whole; all the the items are near, associated with, or related to the items mentioned. For synecdoche however, let's see if we can come up with some examples for you. All of these are examples of a PART standing for the whole. In order to make the differences crystal clear, just a few examples of Synecdoche are:

• “Wheels” for a car. (Wheels are part of a car).
•  “Two suns” for two days (the sun turning is a part of what makes a day.)
•  “May I have your hand?" for marrying a person (hand is part of the body).
• "Long-hair" for a hippie, (as this was usually part of a their distinguishing look).
•  "Hired hands" for workers (hands are only part of the worker though we understand the meaning here) 
• "We need a head count!" (heads count as entire people, using part for the whole).
• "He got pumped full of lead" (Traditionally lead is part of a bullet's makeup)
• Ivories for a piano and its keys 
• Threads for clothes
• Glasses - for eyeglasses or spectacles       
• Pigskin for a football, based on the material it is made out of
• strings, brass, for instrument types
• "I will use my good silver" for cutlery or tableware, provided it is made of silver or at least silver plated.
• plastic for a credit card (Plastic is what credit cards are made of).

            

Note: that synecdoche differs from metonymy in that metonymy is a trope in which a thing is represented by a thing that is near, around or closely associated with it. For a term to be synecdoche is must be PART of a larger thing, not merely near or associated with . 

PLEASE ALSO NOTE: WE Here are not Done! Not by a Long Shot!!! I hope you are reading and enjoying this figurative language tutorial. Our goal is to be informative and fun. Even more good stuff tomorrow!!! Keep reading, writing, living, growing, learning, laughing, and loving life!

PerfettoWritingRoom(c)

Synecdoche, Metonomy, and Simile, Oh MY! - Usual and Extraordinary Figurative Language Lessons

We all know how fun writing can be.
And we all know how CRAZY it can drive you when you are either
A. looking for that correct trope or device, or
or B. looking at those papers and realizing that God bless those students, they certainly have zeal but perhaps they lack finesse.

If you look at the product above, it is my newest writing product with SEVEN writing activities in it, reusable up to THIRTY TIMES! It is filled with the introductory information you might come to expect just by having read this blog:

• A full glossary including thorough explanations on: character, characterization, flat, round, static, and dynamic         characters, direct and indirect characterization, sidekick, doppelganger, protagonist, antagonist, villain, foil, and show don't tell.
• Hand outs specifically on Show Don't Tell (a master overview with guidelines and examples)
• The differences, uses,  and pros and cons of Direct and Indirect Characterization, titled "Direct Versus Indirect: Is One REALLY Better Than the Other?"
• Easy Reference "TIP SHEET" for Direct and Indirect Characterization for use when writing
• "I Can READ 'em Like a Book: Writing Emotion Into A Scene Using Indirect Characterization" (7 Uses)
• Character Data Sheets! Unlimited Uses - 3 powerful, inspiring pages to get you started on that character-driven story.
• Character Expansion Task Cards - 12 Uses! Read the Card and get down to business!
• Stock Characters - Defy the Mold!
• Indirect Characterization Writing Exercise - 4 Uses
• Guided Visualization (Great Fun, great results)

If you are interested in this handy writing item, by all means, check it out at

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Character-Fiction-Prompt-Extravaganza-High-School-Adult-with-CCSS-1148941

But NOW a QUESTION? How to PROPERLY USE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE? How much is too much? When and Where to Use it? 

A writer writes. This is even more true for the budding writer. And sloppy, messy, purple prose writing is probably BETTER than weak and anemic writing. The goal is to just keep writing, just keep writing, and yes, just keep writing. I think I mentioned how a Pulitzer-prize winning author told me how he had three novels shoved unceremoniously in his closet and a hundred or more short stories in his desk - ALL REJECTED?? If this is not proof positive, and hope eternal that students and teacher-writers both should simply soldier on. . . well I don't know what is! In short, with practice, we all improve!

      Your little freebie for today is DOUBLE. Number ONE. . . a validation of writing. This is found on my Teachers Pay Teachers site. Yes, you can SEE it here. But if you click on the link below, you can go and get it, too. It is beautiful, and it is also life affirming and "write-affirming."

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There is ONE more from that pack… if you go to the store. . . it is inside the download!!

MY second Freebie is information and THE TITLE OF MY POST. I know, I save the best for last. But it’s all a lovely process, just like learning, writing, teaching, and life, I suppose.

USUAL and EXTRAORDINARY FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Cliche and Idiomatic Expression -

1. Cliche – What’s great and terrible about cliches is that students are familiar with them, and yet, not at all aware of how prevalent they are, as many of them have now become “figures of speech” that can work their way into our writing style and affect the writer’s voice.  The worst part of cliche is that while it can be fun to teach and review in class, this is NOT something we should aspire to have in our writing, even in dialogue. The same is true for our students. Earlier in my career, I advised students that perhaps their characters used cliches, but the longer I live my life as a reader of great fiction, the more I realize that I fall in love with writing and characters that are odd, quirky, original, and those things that are singular and that have the feel of elevated artifacts. That is a tall order for ANY of us. While it may feel impossible to accomplish. It may well BE impossible to accomplish. But it is a noble goal.  Therefore,  while using hackneyed, everyday and cliched language is often unavoidable because it nearly a reflex, we do ourselves and students little service to encourage the practice. On the first day of High school or university teaching, I encourage students to write the WORST they can, using cliches and every bad writing element they know. Then, we try our best to move on.

2. Idioms – Idioms can be confusing to us, to students, to EVERYONE. A fantastic product I really should make up would differentiate between cliche, idiom, proverb, and maxim. I believe there are even more! WRITE IN and share your thoughts. . . An exercise in which each in defined, examples are given and students are  encouraged to use each properly or invent their own would be a great lesson.

3. Hyperbole – this is a fancy term for “exaggeration for emphasis” – it has some great uses in fiction. While you are using “exaggeration for emphasis” you can make your hyperbole work double or triple time, though! It can be used by narrators speaking over confidently or hyper critically about their characters or setting;  I’m sure you know already that the author’s attitude is called the tone, and the narrator’s depictions of the setting and surrounding environment may affect the mood and atmosphere. What this means is that if the narrator is using hyperbole (positive or negative) about the characters it must affect the tone or give us an indication of the author’s attitude towards the subject being written about. And, when the narrator describes the setting, (for example, if it is exaggerated in its gloominess), this certainly will add to the mood and atmosphere! I bet you didn’t think  hyperbole could do all that!

              It gets BETTER! Hyperbole may also be used in dialogue for those characters who are literally exaggerating, which reveals much about their personalities. This is, as I am sure you know, just one of the seven methods of indirect characterization. (aren’t you glad you kept reading!) It can go a step further and become a plot device once the characters use hyperbole in dialogue in order to GET something. For example, if, at a ball or party, male characters are in the home of a lovely woman who just so happens to the only wealthy and unmarried woman left in this portion of the country, that may not mean much. When each decides to speak a little dishonestly, adding little bits that are beyond his abilities, talents, holdings, etc. it would be safe to say that each has stepped forward into the rising action of the plot; each will attempt to marry her, and it was through his hyperbolic speech that we can know his intentions.

The last example is quite singular, though an interesting one, and the idea of using hyperbole for a plot device is not new. In any case, there may be other ways in which hyperbole is used, whether for comic effect, insult or other – but these few suggestions alone provide a glimpse into how this figurative language can affect a story. I hope you see the possibilities!

TOMORROW or Friday, LOOK OUT FOR PART TWO of SYNECDOCHE,  METONOMY,  and SIMILE OH MY!!!

Fun with Characterization - Fiction Writing Only - at PerfettoWritingRoom(c) - and Free Ideas. . .

Hi everyone, as Nathan Lane said in The Bird Cage, one does need a hint of color! In honor of good writing (and heck, why not, great movies too!) Here is the pin from my latest characterization product...it is the "Characterization Glossary" a portion of "THE Characterization Master Course" - for those who need greater flexibility and don't really want all parts in the 82 page unit.

Now that the beautiful 82-behemoth is behind me resting on its virtual shelf at
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Characterization-Master-Course-CCSS-With-Analytical-Essay-Grades-9-12-1140265



I figured I could give all of you GRAND LIST OF IDEAS for characterization - So here they are to get you inspired.

These are ideas that I have employed in the large 82-page monster unit, followed by some I just couldn't fit in there. Please feel free to stop by and see what I've done, or, use one of these in your home as a writer or in your classroom as a teacher or professor. Characterization or setting really is the FIRST place to start when discussing story, and I'm happy I'm here with you at the start of our journey together.

Some ideas for you to ponder:

1. While I make sure, as you would that you or students understand the difference between direct and indirect characterization and showing versus telling. I also offer in my Characterization Master Unit definitions with guidelines on the eight ways to indirectly characterize....AFTER this is quite clear, I have four prompts deliberately given in frank "direct characterization" language.  The beauty is they can be revisited up to four times.

The goal is not merely to rewrite these as indirect sentences or even as paragraphs, but to create a character scene in which the direct telling statement is absolutely shown, and no words from the original statement are used. One example is "Lucinda was a daredevil who craved danger and excitement." As this is completely direct and telling, none of this except her name can be in the scene. All of it must be shown.

2. Stock characters are always debased and kicked around for their flat and stereotypical nature. Let students prove how many they can come up with and then, choose one, and break that mold by surprising the class with a nuanced and round UN-stock character.

3. Create a character scene by doing your own "visualization." YES. I know, it sounds very "a la artsy fartsy" but if you have a person do it for you, if you do it yourself like a guided meditation, OR, if you do it for students, the results are overwhelmingly positive. CHOOSE four or five places where people congregate and where you or students might like. "The talk" as we call it goes from vague to more specific, and really, there should be a lot of waiting, as the person imagines in their mind. Too much talking is distracting. First choose the place out of the four or five, then focus on the scene, the setting, the activity, then focus on the people, then find THE PERSON. Take it from there observing and taking it details using all five senses. Make your own script. This is the basis for a full character scene.

4. After you have done at least three of these (I have more of course) and you or students have a character that they like, use "Character Data Sheets" - these are unbelievably helpful because they can drive you nuts with inane and useless information - so hey, don't fill those parts out - and then, POW, it actually is the basis for an inspiration.  We included three pages in our Master Unit - so yes, it seems like a lot, but remember there are lines for writing in.

Lastly, I am now working to ONLY include the creative writing prompts for characterization with definitions, and am excising the quizzes and Analysis section. This means a unique fiction-writing only product and even more reasonably priced. And as always, feel free to use the ideas posted here, 'cause that's how we roll at the PerfettoWritingRoom (c)

A thank YOU to Everyone, A 20% off sale, Plus Added Freebies....So what does THAT Mean???

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/PerfettoWritingRoom



Hi everyone. I wanted to invite you OFFICIALLY to my store with a 20% off SALE, kicking off the NEW YEAR.

      This means that you can buy, or not if you don't want to.

      It also means you can browse and get to know me, my products and what I do.

      Lastly, it's an opportunity for you to download at least one free item. WHY?


             Well, I know many people have "click here for the freebie." I don't have that yet, but rest assured, I am working on it. SO, in the meantime, take a virtual stroll down the Main Street of my town and take a look. I sincerely hope you find some fantastic bargains. Here is my flyer. . .

 

God Bless, and Happy New Year, Happy Writing and Creating to you all.

 

Gina (PerfettoWritingRoom)

 

A love letter to creativity in general and creative writing too

I have often lamented the loss of art, music, creative writing and other creative arts in the school system. I also tire of the never-ending struggle to keep these classes, the anxiety about funding cuts, or the feeling teachers have that they need to "justify themselves" when they add creative elements that may "detract" from other lessons deemed more essential.

I am astounded that some people still think creativity = easy and bad. Is learning a musical instrument and musical notation easy? Is writing a short story easy? I can attest, as can many of my students (and I'm sure you can as well) that creative tasks require more of your faculties and brain power, a wider array of skill sets, and both sides of your brain than many other tasks do.

I was once accused of not teaching properly, or sufficiently, when I introduced my high school students to children's books. It was a fiction class. The goal of this particular activity was to have the students analyze a number of children's books and picture books and come to series of conclusions about the way these books are written, their font size and placement, etc. in order to learn and then create their own complete creations. The department head only thought I was making a "dumbed down" and "inappropriate" lesson. She thought I was asking them to "write at a kindergarten level" - after all the parents expected a lot more than "Dick and Jane are friends" for sentence structure! She really missed the entire point: creativity, critical thinking, owning the entire process. Clearly I am glad to not be there anymore.

If she misunderstood me, and this was an activity in a sanctioned fiction writing course, I can't even imagine the degree to which other teachers are being maligned for attempting to encourage students to be creative and write stories in regular classrooms.

Turn that Negative into a Positive. . .

Creativity is the most important tool we have in our arsenal against indifference.

Whether we teach math, geography, science, history, art, or physical education and health, we can be creative and fun ourselves, which is how we bring wonder and excitement into the classroom.

What about Creative Writing? Isn't it Just a Waste of Time?
I think this has me a little angry.
I can't tell you how difficult it is to write stories and poems, and to write them well.  True poetry writing and fiction writing aspires, has goals, is work shopped, is graded. While it can be exhilarating, exciting, and great fun, it is challenging and can be frustrating as well. And at times, it is just plain difficult. There are rewrites. The students get stumped and feel challenged.

Story writing is even MORE complicated than the very best of essays and papers. Stories are dynamic and there is no such thing as "how to write a story." No, no formula, despite that drawing of a nifty little "arc" in those fiction writing books. Every single story is unique and varied and is organically derived from the student. There are threads, through lines, dialogue, one character or many, various settings that might or might not occasionally forward the plot, and an arc of some type. One must think of foreshadowing, mood, and must describe clearly. 

Sometimes, students will even do research in order to know more about the topic they are writing about. In fact, the research is not a big deal in the way the "research paper" is; writing a good story is so involved that doing research is usually just background to the story they are telling. Research is simply a part of the job!

So I ask you. REALLY? Fun but a little too easy? A waste of time?

A Comment on the Essay

So writing stories is easy and a waste of time (I haven't even told you how hard it is to write a poem. Maybe another day). Essays and research do not hold high court in the world of words and meaning. In fact, the more capable students are in a multiple of forms, the better. What is difficult about research is thinking critically, making original points out of the points out there, and less so, notating. All of this should be done often and regularly. And, so should many other forms of writing, including poetry, argument, story writing, and OTHER forms. Hey, how about REAL letter writing? Remember that? Now that's something we should all blog about! How's that for a lost art form?

Creative Writing - Of Immense Value - NINE SKILLS (and maybe more)
Of course there will be a transfer of skills. This is not the difference between skiing and learning French.

1.  Learning to organize thoughts,
2. create full sentences, paragraphs, and to a certain extent,
3. argue,
4. look up background information that will be used in the work,
5. use logical order and
6. explain things in a clear way, 
7. practice economy, and
8. obey spelling and
9. grammar rules

are just a few of the transferable skills students will learn through storytelling that will prove a boon when it comes time to writing a paper. In fact, students may even be more motivated to improve if they are working on stories.

I Leave You With This

 

 

Is THIS Why Folks Say It's a Waste?

Don't Judge a Book by it's Paper Bag Cover?

If you look above, I guess if you saw me bring these things into class, and you weren't very open minded, you'd think I was playing games and not challenging my students. You'd think I was going to read a newspaper or something while they fiddled around and then got bored. You would certainly not think I would be engaged the entire class, and that the students would be engaged. You'd never believe this was serious "life or death stuff," ending in a workshop dealing with full length stories about super spies, wars, and other heavy stuff. But you'd be wrong!

 I've mentioned this activity before - It is the SUPER SECRET - 4-SENSES Writing Activity. Take all of your little treasures and garage sale finds, and put them in brown paper lunch bags.

Step one. Students choose only by feeling. Write a description using only touch.

Step two. Take it out and LOOK! Now you can write about what it is and describe it.

Step three. Now only use metaphors and similes.

Step four. Your object isn't what you think. It is a weapon, a spy device, a portal to another dimension, of incalculable worth, has a long story of excitement and adventure, has a spell on it and a story only YOU know, has the ability to heal two warring peoples (offer other suggestions). TELL the full and complete story of this object the day you main character finds it or gives it away.

PS. This is a paid-for product on TPT, (there is extra of course in that one)...but I'm illustrating a point.  The students are pushing to use figurative language, they are using outside of the box thinking, (other senses in order to write, such as feel, and in the paid for version, they are instructed to use sound, etc.),  and they are surprised and told to switch gears. They feel internally motivated to write because they have a lot of options to choose from and it feels very immediate and very cool to them that what they are being presented with is something different. They "play along" - I've even done this in colleges, and they do it willingly. It somehow opens something up in them, and all of the NINE SKILLS are still being used, ready to transfer when you want them to write that argument essay.

God Bless, and happy teaching.

Gina

In honor of Creative Writing and It's Importance a Freebie to My Followers!

I think Creative Writing simply needs to be taught more! And it needs to be seen as the important and useful writing tool that it is!! Anyone who is following this blog...if you are kind enough to give me a few days, I'll find a way to add a widget to my blog. This post will be a freebie poster you can open and download. The holiday break approaches. God Bless.

Gina
PerfettoWritingRoom

Why Creative Writing is Every Bit as Important as the Research or Argument Paper!



http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Perfettowritingroom


This quite recent creation...still a work in progress actually, is based on the types of very serious, very rigorous, and yes, very FUN and intriguing writing activities I did in my semester long creative writing classes for Juniors and Seniors, which in turn was based on many classes I took with professors while I was a student myself.

Is it true that teachers are struggling, this year more than most with the new standards? Is it correct to say the arts are a wee bit "less essential"?

I have always found that poetry and fiction writing can harness critical thinking, the routine of word economy and proper word choice, the ability to pattern, pace, strategize, and more. Additionally, Students have told me, over, and over, and OVER again how the rigors of creative writing had somehow teased their brains into writing better (my words I suppose, not theirs) and gave them transferable skills. I think the passion and enthusiasm I feel, and that students can have for creative writing is so powerful, that the course and its USEFULNESS needs to be addressed.

If there is anyone who would like to discuss, agree, or even raise a question or disagree, I welcome it. I do feel that translatable skills abound in the writing room, as they ALSO do in the music or art room. Students are required for example in a writing class to perform rewrites and drafts, be a part of a community of writers, and make numerous decisions. Writing a full length story is on many levels MORE complicated than constructing in a comparison or argument essay. The reason for this is simple. A story is an organic form, or, a highly complex form purposely organized to appear as if it was effortless. While the goal of an essay is to be clear and accomplish something, a story must do a multitude of things and do it all quite well. Finally, a short story can be lucid, exceptionally well written, exciting and moving, and yet may additionally have a character persuade or argue, implying that the author behind the story must have these abilities. The argument essay itself may only boast at its best that it is very good in its form as an argument essay.

While the comparison or argument essay is an essential essay that must be tackled in school for a Core Standard, one must realize that in writing a story, one can also apply Core Standards to story writing. In the end, students must be given free reign to create, but in the end, the MORE students write, the more VARIED the writing, the more transferrable all of their skills will be and the better they will be as writers. In the end, creative writing is an essential part of a healthy and well-rounded writing diet.