Starter quiz
- Which of the following is the best definition of personification?
- giving human characteristics to a non human object ✓
- representing an idea through symbols
- describing a scene in vivid detail
- using exaggerated language for effect
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- Which of the following is the best definition of a metaphor?
- a comparison between two things using "like" or "as"
- a figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear close by
- a figure of speech where one thing is said to be another thing ✓
- the repetition of sounds at the beginning of words
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- If we use a word literally, how do we use it?
- to convey abstract meanings
- to convey its opposite meaning
- to convey its exact orginal meaning ✓
- to convey its multiple meanings
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- When we make comparisons, what are we doing?
- analysing figurative language to infer its hidden meaning
- identifying similarities and differences between two or more things ✓
- using words with accuracy and precision
- writing in an exaggeratedly formal style
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- Which famous playwright wrote the play 'Romeo and Juliet'?
- 'William Shakespere' ✓
- In the following speech, Romeo says, "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?/It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." What is the motif that Shakespeare is using?
- light ✓
- window
- east
- Juliet
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Exit quiz
- Match the words on the left with the synonyms on the right
- yonder⇔there ✓
- envious⇔jealous ✓
- entreat⇔plead ✓
- dynamic⇔energetic ✓
- Which of the following is the best definition of a motif?
- a recurring pattern of sounds to unity a text
- a recurring image or idea throughout a text ✓
- an elaborate comparison between two things
- the central theme in a liteary text
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- Match the techniques on the left with their definitions on the right.
- literal⇔taking words in thier usual or most basic sense ✓
- metaphorical⇔using a figure of speech that says someting is another thing ✓
- personification⇔when human characteristics are given to non human things ✓
- comparison⇔examining similarities and differences between two or more things ✓
- Which sentence below is an example of a metaphor?
- The stars danced in the night skhy.
- The wind howled like a wolf.
- She is the light of my life. ✓
- The waves crashed against the shore.
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- If I say that the car quarrelled with me, what literary device am I using?
- metaphor
- onomatopoeia
- simile
- personification ✓
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- If you wanted to use the motif of darkness, which of the following would you not use?
- shadow
- night
- bright ✓
- midnight
- black
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- A motif is a recurring image or ideas.
- Writers use motifs to build up imaginative layers of meaning.
- Shakespeare uses a motif of light to show Romeo’s impression of Juliet.
- Motifs need to be dynamic, using a range of techniques.
- You can use metaphors, personification and comparison when creating a motif.
Common misconception
It is easy to confuse motifs with extended metaphors.
A motif uses recurring elements that can employ a range of techniques. An extended metaphor is a sustained comparison across a text.
Keywords
Yonder - some distance away, over there
Envious - wishing you had what someone else has
To entreat - to beg or implore
Dynamic - characterised by energy or action
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