Figurative Language:
Idiom- Definition:
An idiom is a commonly used phrase or expression that has a hidden meaning that is different than what the words actually say
- One example of an idiom can be found on page 45. While Max is talking to Freak, he says, “You must have ants in your pants.” He uses this idiom to show that Freak is very anxious or excited to get going, so he can hardly sit still (Example found by Mrs. Swift)
Simile- Definition:
An simile is a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compare
- One example of an simile can be found on page 7. While Max is talking to Freak, he says, "Because she looks like some kind of movie star?" He uses this simile to show that she looks fancy, pretty, nice clothes, maybe acts like she all that; so maybe this would show that she acts/looks like a movie star when really she not.
Metaphor- Definition:
An metaphor is a figure language of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance
- One example of an metaphor can be found on page 21. While Max is talking to himself, he says, "....Cloud - no, you are a cloud, the kind you see in the sky on a windy day, the way they keep changing shape except you cant really see it changing?" He uses this metaphor to show that maybe people don't see Max because he is not as samrt as other people are or that he is dumb because he has no brain/.
Onomatopoeia- Definition:
An onomatopoeia is the formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent
- One example of an onomatopoeia can be found on page 2. While Freak is talking Max, he says, "....self around the playground. Rrrr... rrrr... rrrr... like he had robot motors inside his legs, going rrrrr... rrrr... rrrr, and this look, like don't mess with me, man, maybe I got a laser cannon hidden inside these leg braces, smoke a hole right through you." He uses this metaphor to show that Freak is acting like a robot just because he has cool leg braces that make noises and crutches to support him up and walking.
Hyperbole- Definition:
An hyperbole is an obvious and intentional exaggeration
- One example of an hyperbole can be found on page 4. While Grim is talking, he says, "...we'd best let the boy go barefoot, he's exploding out of his shoes." He uses this hyperbole to show that Grim and Gram don;t want to keep on buying shoes for Max, because his feet wont stop growing.
Personification- Definition:
An personification is an the attribution of human nature or character to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract notions, especially as a rhetorical figure
- One example of an personification can be found on page 153. When Max is saying, "Moving fast, like the sun is chasing my heels, I'm running down this long faint shadow of me that stretches out ahead, you can't ever catch up with it." He uses this personification to show that Max is running as fast as he can like someone is chasing him.
Alliteration- Definition:
the commencement of two or more stressed syllables of a word group either with the same consonant sound or sound group (consonantal alliteration) as in from stem to stern, or with a vowel sound that may differ from syllable to syllable (vocalic alliteration) as in each to all
- One example of alliteration can be found on page 38. When Max says, " ...., a cop car cruising real slow along the road around the pond, which is what they always do after the fireworks." He uses this alliteration to show that a cop car is driving really slow around the pond after fireworks, because maybe people will do something bad.