The Abstract Of Figurative Language Essay - 1674 Words

Context is Everything It is clear that as representational theory opposes enactive theory, so does modernism oppose postmodernism. The question is: Which is more accurate? To this question, I turn to poetry. Poetry (and other forms of art) are able to take words that are pragmatically nonsense and create a sense of meaning out of them. Of course, I am making sweeping generalizations of poetry, and not all poems are pragmatic nonsense so I must clarify. When I speak of poetry and art, I am speaking specifically about the figurative language used within them--language that disallows its readers to create internal representations. Going by representational theory, and a modernist approach, figurative language in poetry would fail to be perceived and would not present its â€Å"unique truth,† and thus be â€Å"bad art.† The representational theory states that for every unique object there is a unique perception, and thus it follows the modernist approach that words (object/signifier) have a singular significance (perception). In representational theory, the context of the words and the subject’s knowledge of prior things that are similar to the object does not influence the perception of the object. The word and its meaning are independent of the subject’s prior knowledge (culture), and the object’s context (environment). The figurative language would fail to be perceived because the words presented in figurative language are nonliteral and do not carry meaning outside of the poem, andShow MoreRelatedFigurative Language And The Language1305 Words   |  6 Pagesphenomena, one of which is figurative language. It is a person’s way to saturate the mind with profound thoughts centered around its meaning. It has an interesting background, covers a wide array of literary devices, is applied within different types of writing, and people employ these devices within their daily language. Figurative language is a constructive way to communicate ideas using expressions, unlike its opposite idea which is literal interpretations. â€Å"Figurative language, in comparison, usesRead MoreThe Life Of Gold Rain By Langston Hughes, An African American Poet During The Mid 1900 S858 Words   |  4 Pagesno life. So even though rain and winter do come, sorrow comes, their silver lining is spring, new life and new hope and joy. Some elements of poetry used in this poem are, imagery, figurative language and rhythm. Imagery is language that connects the reader to the poem using the five senses and even ideas for abstract thought. In â€Å"In Time of Silver Rain† imagery is used often. Langston Hughes uses it to make you use your five senses, smell the rain and blossoming flowers. See the vibrant colors ofRead MoreThe Influnce of Figurative Idioms in English Language1017 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract: Figurative idioms paly an important role in English language. They represent the national culture and they are the core in language. The fgurative meaning and unity of idiom make the language colourful and vivid. Keywords: Figurative idiom; English language; Unity With the continual development of human society, language is developing as a tool which of people using it to express thoughts and communicate with each other. In all the elements of language, the change ofRead MoreLanguage Study: English1203 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿At a first approximation, language means any system of symbolic signs used for social intercommunication, that is to say, any system of signs which serves to express and communicate ideas and feelings and content of consciousness. Below are a few examples: Idiom is a faulty style construction of language, which can give rise to ambiguity, multivocality, confusion. Example: Sick as a dog. Analogy is the correspondence and resemblance between two or more events, objects, concepts; it can be theRead MorePoem Analysis : Alone By Maya Angelou907 Words   |  4 Pagesand poet Maya Angelou created a poem called â€Å"Alone.† In this poem, the title speaks for itself by warning you to not live life alone because it leads to unhappiness. The poem, â€Å"Alone† by Maya Angelou uses poetic devices diction, imagery, and figurative language to express the theme â€Å"No one can make it in this world alone and have happiness.† In summary, the poem â€Å"Alone â€Å" by Maya Angelou is about the speaker warning all human race to beware of this life living of being alone. No one can live in thisRead MoreFigurative Language Essays1135 Words   |  5 PagesFigurative Language and Imagery ENG 340 Creative Writing Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Figurative language is the use of language to describe something by comparing it to something else. It serves many linguistic purposes. It allows people to express abstract thoughts. It creates tone and communicates emotional content. The ability to use figurative language in writing can make a poem or story more enjoyable for the readerRead MoreCritical Thinking Assignment 2 Essay855 Words   |  4 Pages#2 Critical Thinking Critical Thinking – Assignment #2 In any story there are two types of language, figurative and literal. Language is, of course a necessary factor of any story. Without Language, an author could not tell the story. The author usually uses a combination of these two languages. Together, these languages characterize the author’s style. Literal language means exactly what is says, literal. It employs the primary meaning of a term or expression. It is actualRead MoreA Reflection in Sylvia Plaths Mirror1013 Words   |  5 Pagesmirror she is (pg 156). Plath develops the character of the mirror, and the woman this mirror observes, through the personification of the mirror. Plath’s Mirror, maneuvers through figurative language, free verse form, personification, and metaphor. The primary language of Mirror is figurative. Figurative language is defined by Clugston (2010) as â€Å"the use of words in ways they are not normally used in order to create a distinct imaginative effect or impression† (10.3). â€Å"I am silver and exactRead MoreAnalysis of William Faulkners Nobel Prrize of Literarure Speech1012 Words   |  5 PagesStockholm on December 10, 1950, Faulkner uses a powerful tone and effective rhetorical devices to convey his purpose. In his Nobel Prize of Literature acceptance speech, William Faulkner utilizes rhetorical devices such as persuasive appeals, figurative language, syntax, tone, and diction to aid in his effectiveness of his speech. In his speech Faulkner employs ethos and pathos throughout it. In the beginning, he starts his speech by using ethos, speaking of his work and him separately, showing heRead MoreMaxine A Daughter Leaving Home, By Linda Pastan1034 Words   |  5 Pagesof love. Love is an intense feeling of deep affection. Both of these poems exhibit a tough love and show excellent examples of concrete images and figurative language. Along with love, they also show a new meaning of beauty and nature. The poem â€Å"To a Daughter Leaving Home,† by Linda Pastan, showed a great deal of concrete images and figurative language. There was a slight conflict towards the end of the poem, especially when it said, â€Å"I kept waiting/ For the thud of your crash as I/ Sprinted to catch