Fire i' the blood

Abstract

There are great differences between the oral use of figurative language and its written use. Nevertheless, the only separately published textbook for figurative language is almost entirely concerned with oral figurative language, offering such examples as "you have a heart of stone" or "you make my blood boil." Much, if not most, oral language consists of long, repetitious portions of cliché and platitude, and not surprisingly, the figurative language used follows the same pattern. Writing teachers generally ask their students not to use clichés and platitudes, even though they may (mistakenly, I think) advise students to "write like you speak."

Understanding figurative language should be considered only one part of a larger attempt to teach reading (understanding written works); however, figures of speech are quite common in most writing that asks to be taken seriously and that is something more than a compilation of facts. All writing requires the willing and active participation of the reader, but it is only in writing containing figures of speech that the literal and the non-literal are brought together. As part of a literacy program, the teaching of the common figures of speech presented here should probably begin before middle school and continue through high school, with most emphasis reserved for senior high school. A basic knowledge of figures of speech is required by most teachers of English in college.

This book contains examples of seven common figures of speech. These are all part of "figurative language," which is different from "literal language" and must be read somewhat differently. After studying this book the student should be able to accurately identify each of the seven figures of speech and also be able to explain why it works well as that particular figure.

About the Author

Richard E. Mezo received his Ph.D. in English from the University of North Dakota in 1978 and completed a study in Education at Western Washington University in 1988. He has taught at colleges and universities in the U.S. and overseas. He is the author of several books, articles, essays, poems, book reviews, and short stories. He has most recently written entries for the