Personification:
Ex/The Golden Compass
“You’re not taking this seriously,” whispered her dæmon. “Behave yourself”(Pullman, 3)
Explanation/ In real life animals cannot speak or be capable of doing things that are natural to humans such as having a personality.
Analysis/ In “The Golden Compass” the humans dæmon’s all have human characteristics. Pullman personifies the dæmons to emphasize the bond between human and dæmon to show the reader the different sides of the characters and to understand their personalities better. Pantalaimon is Lyra’s dæmon. He is personified as being much more careful, reserved, and courageous. He is also more mature and is very protective over Lyra.
Form
Ex/ The Sneetches
Now the starbelly sneetches had bellies with stars.
The plain belly sneetches had none upon thars.
Those stars weren’t so big they were pretty quite small.
You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all.
Dr. Seuss
Explanation/ This is a couplet, a poem that follows the specific rule that has an end rhyme that is used for every two lines.
Analysis/ Dr. Seuss makes his story “The Sneetches” have an end rhyme that is used for every two lines. This rhyme allows children (his main audience) to understand the main points of the plot easier and to make it easier for them to read, even if he must make up words that are not in the English dictionary. So in the example I have given the words stars and thars rhyme to send the children the message that the Sneetches were different because of the stars on their bellies. To explain this further, to make it clear to the children the words small and all rhyme to make it clear that even though we don’t think of it as much of a big deal the Sneetches think that the stars mark where you are in society. Throughout the whole story the rhyme scheme is consistent, making it easy for the children to understand.
Juxtaposition:
Ex/ The Other Boleyn Girl
“Exactly,” she said. “I shall be dark and French and fashionable and difficult and you shall be sweet and open and English and fair. What a pair we shall be”(Gregory, 9) – In my opinion this quotation is foreshadowing what will happen later in the book, since this is only on the 9th page.
Quotation from “The Other Boleyn Girl”
Anne speaking with Mary.
Explanation/ In “The Other Boleyn Girl” Anne’s approach to becoming more in favor of the king is criticized by her juxtaposition with Mary, who attracted the king in a much fairer manner.
Analysis/ Anne Boleyn’s cruelty to those around her and her ambitiousness are emphasized when she is contrasted with her sister Mary Boleyn who is an exact opposite of her appearance wise and mentally. Anne is always scheming and trying to improve her status while Mary is extremely naïve and takes whatever orders are given to her. The role of the other Boleyn girl continually shifts from one sister to the other but in the end Anne is better known one throughout history while Mary has gone unnoticed. However, it is Anne who is executed in the end while Mary lives the rest of her life happily with the one she loves.
Simile
Ex/ Twilight
“They [the Cullen] were enjoying the snowy day, just like everyone else — only they looked more like a scene from a movie than the rest of us”(Meyer, 40).
Explanation/ This simile associates the Cullen family with a scene in a movie.
Analysis/ Movies usually contain beautiful actresses and actors who make the simplest things in life look sublime and magnificent. So, comparing the Cullen family with a movie must mean that the family is extraordinary beautiful and more significant that the other students.
Perspective
Ex/Incantation
“Marronos,” I said. “Pigs.”
My grandmother looked as though she wanted to slap me, but she didn’t. It was the truth after all that’s what they called us”(Hoffman, 77).
Explanation/ The perspective of this story is first person. The narrator of the book is a young girl who is Jewish but pretends to be Christian. The book is set in Spain during the Inquisition.
Analysis/ The young girl that narrates this book is Jewish who pretends to be a Christian so her family and herself do not need to escape from Spain. When she discovers that she is not really Christian but Jewish she realizes that she must be more careful than ever as she sees how other people, like her, are treated by society. From this perspective we are able to see the affects of the Inquisition through the eyes of the victims.
