Figurative Language In Tableau By Countee Cullen

Countee Cullen was a famous African American poet during the Harlem Renaissance in during the early 1900´s. She wrote two famous poems called “Tableau” and “Incident.” These pieces of American literature, both depict the racial interaction between the blacks and the whites at this point in history. The interaction with the two is shown by the way they describe each other and the way that they interact. These poems both use many instances of figurative languages such as imagery, metaphors, and similes to develop the tone and theme of each poem.

While reading the book “The Discovery of Poetry” by Frances Mayes, I learned a lot about figurative imagery. Figurative imagery is used throughout Edward Mayes’ poem to make connections between two ideas we typically would not associate with one another. A concrete example of figurative imagery in Mayes’ poem is found in the line that reads, “Men looking like they had been/attacked repeatedly by a succession /of wild animals.” I know that these patients most likely had not been attacked by wild animals over and over again, but when the speaker plants these images in a reader’s mind, the suffering that these patients have endured become more realistic to the reader. Sometimes using figurative imagery is much more effective than using a literal image. Mayes wants readers to know how ill some of the patients are. He goes on by describing the “200 miles of scars” of a patient and how “a boy who [had] shot his face off.” Mayes’ figurative images make a stronger point because they are so blunt. He doesn’t seem to beat around the bush; he tells every detail exactly how the speaker saw it.

Poets make books with poems that relate to each other. Marie Howe touches on topics related to herself throughout her book “What the Living Do”. She begins her book by going in the past and narrating events, but the main idea behind majority of the poems are on her brother John Howe, Father, and herself. Her brother John died of an AIDs related illness and her father failing to quit drinking alcohol. Howe is very reminiscent in this book. With the sequence of the poems it appears like a story and she used great figurative language to complement them. Although her language and her meanings in the poems are clear her consistent use of couplet stanza form does not always compliment her material, but her title goes perfectly with the way the

For this session, I introduced figurative language to Sophia. The first two examples of figurative language I taught her were similes and metaphors. I taught this lesson in the same format I taught story elements. I would have the definition writing down on the power point of Sophia and would have her write down the term and definitions in her notebook to refer back to later. I also included some examples as a way to teach the term that I also asked her to write down in her notebook.

From historic times until now we see power between people go back and forth. Everyone wants it, but not all can have it. In the book, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Golding shows throughout the story how the weak and the strong take place and how fragile the balance of power can really be through symbolism, imagery and figurative language.

“Over the years I have forged intimate familial ties with these characters, who are reflections of a portion of myself. Consequently, even a character who appeared only once in a short story waits now in the wings, concealed by the curtain, for his next appearance on-stage. Not one of them has ever broken free of his familial ties with me and disappeared for ever - at least, not within the confines of my heart.” By Shūsaku Endō, The Final Martyrs. In your lifetime you have probably seen writing techniques in a story. Writing techniques can include similes, metaphors, personification, and descriptive word choice. Those are just some of many other figurative language examples. In the novel, The Pigman by Paul Zindel, the author uses descriptive language and figurative language to create theme, and to establish character.

The way and words used to tell a story determine how the story will be perceived. If the story uses lots of details, diction, and figurative language then it will be most likely a well told story. Although if a story is not told with these things it can be hard to interpret what is trying to be said. In the short story, “The Scarlet Ibis”,uses all these things to tell an amazing story with a plot that could go anywhere. The author, James Hurst, of “The Scarlet Ibis” illustrates diction and figurative language to prove that the tone is hope, discouragement, and pride.

Parents cling to their children wanting them to stay young forever, wanting endless memories and nothing to change, yet they must be able to part from these feelings to allow the child to grow. In the story “A Private Talk with Holly”, the author, Henry Felsen, uses symbolism to convey the central idea that if you love someone you have to let them go. When Holly, the main character of the story, talks to her Dad about changing her plans, he is faced with a difficult decision, but in the end he allows Holly to chase her dreams for her own good.

Cullen utilizes imagery throughout the poem, to illuminate the racism African Americans endured and impact racism carries. The speaker in the poem is an eight year old in Baltimore. In the first stanza, Cullen describes the child as “heart-filled, head-filled with glee.” This image portrays the speaker as innocent and joyful. Then the speaker notices a boy staring at him, the speaker believes there’s little difference between them, that the kid “was no whit bigger.” The speaker gets a rude awakening after the boy “poked out his tongue.” A seemingly playful meaningless gesture is met with the boy calling the speaker “N****r.” Cullen contrasts these two experiences because it depicts how racism comes out of nowhere and effects those you wouldn’t expect. The last stanza, the speaker “saw the whole Baltimore. The image of seeing is not just visual, but a metaphor for the loss of innocence where the speaker now is exposed to the hate. Cullen masterfully uses imagery so that readers understand the incredible impact that words have, especially when used for hate.

The poems “Tableau” and “Incident” by Countee Cullen are about racism, but both have a different take on it. The African American author wrote in 1900’s , when racism was common and more acceptable. Cullen’s work became more popular during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920’s. Both poems are developed with different writing mechanics to convey a clear message to the reader or audience. Cullen uses figurative language and tone to develop the theme in each text.

I can tell you the authors style in the book In November by Cynthia Rylant. The style in her writings are mostly personification or figurative language. I know this because on page 4 it says "spreading there arms like dancers" based on what I read Cynthia Rylant uses personification also uses a simile. The book In November Cynthia uses tree limbs as dancers. She give a descriptive look as what the tree looks like. Cynthia Rylant uses a human action to a non human thing.

In the book Canyons, Gary Paulsen uses figurative language multiple times as a method to construe scenes to the reader in an easily understandable way. To start of with an example of figurative language is when the author writes “They were all over the van like gremlins” this

Ellen Hunnicutt once said “. . . figurative language adds pizzazz. It raise work above the plain, the dull, the ordinary.” This quote explains how using figurative language helps create a more interesting and useful way of expressing a tone of a character or event.Figurative language is a uses of words, phrases, and sentences to help to make the characters and story line come more to live in the reader’s mind. Some examples of Figurative languages are similes, metaphors, hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia, and many more. Figurative language help the reader see tone and mood in each of the example of figurative language because the reader can see or image the event or character in their mind. In a story, poem, or any form of writing, figurative language is extremely important to a reader because if a sentence didn’t have figurative language the reader may not find the story or poem interesting or even find it confusing and difficult to understand.In addition the use of figurative language is crucial when an author is writing. In the stories “The Treasure of Lemon Brown” by Walter Dean Myers and The Pigman, By Paul Zindel, the authors used Figurative language to develop the tone of their stories so that that the reader can visualize it in their mind.

Figurative Language is the art of using figures of speech, loaded words, appeals, etc. they are used to have more of an impact and to persuade the listeners to join your side. in his speech, Patrick Henry tried to appeal to the audience by bringing up God into

Katherine Mansfield writes about an aged woman, Miss Brill, who isolates her existence from the real world. Miss Brill attempts to build a fantasy life to protect her emotions from the harsh facts of her existence. The short story “Miss Brill” offers thorough description and examples of imagery to help readers better comprehend and view occurrences. Robert Peltier mentions how “Miss Brill” maintains a rising and falling action in each paragraph to demonstrate a scene-by-scene picture to the reader. In his overview of “Miss Brill”, each paragraph fits her on a specific day and moment. Mandel Miriam explains how “Miss Brill” contains more figurative language rather than actions. In particular, “Miss Brill” depends generally on images of sense and sound, but the senses of taste and