Figurative Languages – Part 2:
Allusion, Personifications, Onomatopoeia,
Overstatement/Understatement, Synecdoche
& Metonymy
Compiled from various sources
ALLUSION
Definition
• Allusion - a figure of speech that makes a
reference or representation of or to a well-
known person, place, event, literary work , or
work of art
• Allusions in writing help the reader to visualize
what's happening by evoking a mental picture.
But the reader must be aware of the allusion
and must be familiar with what it alludes to.
• Allusions are commonly made to the Bible,
nursery rhymes, myths, famous fictional or
historical characters or events, and
Shakespeare. They can be used in prose and
poetry.
Allusion Examples
Sally had a smile
rivaled only by
that of the Mona
Lisa.
Since everyone is
familiar with the
painting, they can
imagine Sally’s
almost
expressionless
smile.
What does this
show about Sally?
Purpose
• An allusion allows an author to make
a powerful point without having to
actually explain it. This allows the
author to use something the reader
already understands to get across the
new point they are trying to make.
• For comedic
Allusions make us ask the question:
What does this remind me of?
Try to identify the allusions below…
The Simpsons and
Family Guy allude to
popular movies….
…and famous works of art!!!
This is the original version of the
painting by Salvador Dali.
Shakespeare Allusion
HAMLET
“To be or not to be…”
Hamlet says this after he has
discovered his uncle has killed his
father and married his mother. He
does not know whether or not he
wishes to live on.
“To be”=Should I live on OR
“Not to be”=Should I commit
suicide
Often ALLUDED TO when people
are contemplating suicide in
literature, art, movies, etc.
Allusion “Problems”
Not to be confused with “ILLUSIONS”
In order to understand allusions, one
must have a good grasp on “well-
known” works of literature, art, music,
pop culture, etc. ➔ intertextual
affiliations
So, if one is not well-read, it will be
difficult to fully grasp why an
author/writer/director uses an allusion.
This sometimes makes them difficult
for students to grasp.
Allusion or Intertextuality or
Plagiarism?
Consider some cases:
“Dugaan Plagiat Rabbit Town
Bandung
'Mobile Legends' Accusation Of
Copying 'League Of Legends’
Songs from different singers that
seem to have similar notation,
video clips or other musical
elements?
In the era of “remake” and
“remix”
John Fiske (1987, 1989), uses
intertextuality to describe the way
audiences unconsciously create
meaning by utilizing their vast
knowledge of cultural codes learned
from other texts to read a particular
text.
For Fiske intertextuality is a
postmodern sensibility shared by
audiences-a reading formation that
conceives of texts as fragments in a
larger web of textuality.
Intertextuality, Allusion, Plagiarism: How
are they the same? How are they
different?
Intertextuality is the shaping of a text’s
meaning by another text.
Intertextuality does not require citing or
referencing punctuation (such as
quotation marks) and is often mistaken
for plagiarism (Ivanic, 1998).
Intertextuality can be produced in texts
using a variety of functions including
allusion, quotation and referencing
(Hebel, 1989).
However, intertextuality is not always
intentional and can be utilised
inadvertently.
PERSONIFICATION
Definition
to give human characteristics to
something that is not human (i.e.,
animals, objects, or ideas)
“Any personification is a metaphor:
Non-human things are implicitly
likened to huan beings, or non living
things are likened to living things”
The flowers danced in the wind.
The friendly gates welcomed us
The hurricane’s winds are yelling
while blowing outside my window.
Examples
Page 156, personification in the
poem Enjoying the Rain by Ts’ai
Chih.
Can you spot where the
personification is?
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia: When a word’s
pronunciation imitates its sound.
Examples
Buzz Fizz
Woof
Hiss Clink
Boom
Beep Vroom
Zip
Example
The firecracker made a loud ka-
boom!
The ball went swish as it hit the net.
I knew the car was going to break
down because it went chug chug
chug…
Hyperbole/Overstatement
An exaggerated statement used
to heighten effect. It is not used to
mislead the reader, but to
emphasize a point.
Example: She’s said so on several
million occasions.
Example
The poem Sparechangers by Julia
Vinograd on page 203 carries a lot
of overstatements that refer to her
political purposes.
Understatement (or Withheld
Image/Emotion)
What does this statement mean?
I’ve had better days.
An understatement
indicates/implies something which
is withheld or unsaid.
To create ironic effect/stonger
emotional effect.
Example
The poem On the Spartan Dead at
Thermopylae by Simonides page
198.
What was/were being
withheld/hidden?
Synecdoche and Metonymy
Synecdoche (si'-nek-doh-kee) is a
specific term employed when you
use a part of the thing to mean the
whole thing itself.
Read page 205 on an excerpt
from “Puppies”. Fur refers to
puppies.
Humankind had reached the
moon ➔ The USA
Continued...
Metonymy is similar to
synecdoche, but employs the use
of something even more loosely
associated with the thing that it is
intended to represent.
"The Oval Office today reports.." ➔
the President of the United States.
In the end, synecdoche - part
equals whole. Metonyny - thing
equals concept.
Example: Metonymny or
Synecdoche?
1. Sweden today reports a dire
shortage of lutefisk.
2. When I am done with this article,
I plan to hit the cinema.
3. Bow to my flourishing, dubious
crown.
4. There are over fifty head of
cattle in that strange and wild
herd.
1-Metonymy, where 'Sweden' is
representative of the Powers
purporting;
2-Synecdoche, where ‘cinema' is a
directly the place to screen movies;
3-Metonymy, where my 'crown'
represent the inherent power within;
4-Synecdoche, where 'head' is
representative of the entire herd.
Teaching ideas…
In groups of four, draft a lesson
plan of teaching Allusion to your
“students”
You can frame your teaching
agenda with critical thinking, or
other subject matter (social skills or
soft skills)
You are free to use any sources
from the internet, any types of
work of arts, literature, or music
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Level:
Topic:
Language focus:
Objectives:
Materials:
Activities:
