A Christmas Carol: Figurative Language

1. What type of figurative language is used in the following sentence, "Old Marley was as dead as a doornail.."?

• personification
• simile
• metaphor
• pun

2. What is the meaning of the figurative language used in question 1? 1. What type of figurative language is used in the following sentence, "Old Marley was as dead as a doornail.."?

• It was used to inform the reader that without a reasonable doubt, Marley was dead.
• It means that Marley became a doornail after his death.
• It was used to persuade the readers that doornails are dead.

3. Background Information: Shakespeare wrote a play called, "Hamlet" in which Hamlet sees the ghost of a his dead father. What type of figurative language is being used by Charles Dickens when he writes, "If we were not perfectly convinced that Hamlet's Father died before the play began, there would be nothing more remarkable in his taking a stroll at night, in an easterly wind, upon his own ramparts..."

• simile
• allusion
• irony
• hyperbole

4. Choose the type of figurative language that is used in the following excerpt, "The ancient tower of a church, whose gruff bell was always peeping slyly down at Scrooge out of a Gothic window in the wall, became invisible, and struck the hours and quarters in the clouds, with tremulous vibrations afterwards as if its teeth were chattering in its frozen head up there." Select all that apply.

• alliteration
• dramatic irony
• personification
• pun

5. Choose two types of figurative language that is used in the following excerpt, "At this the spirit raised a frightful cry, and shook its chain with such a dismal and appalling noise, that Scrooge held on tight to his chair, to save himself from falling in a swoon. But how much greater was his horror, when the phantom taking off the bandage round its head, as if it were too warm to wear indoors, its lower jaw dropped down upon its breast!"

• Personification
• Hyperbole
• Situational Irony
• anaphora

1. What type of figurative language is used in the following sentence, "The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune."

• personification
• metaphor
• hyperbole
• anaphora

2. What type of figurative language is used in the following sentence, "He was endeavoring to pierce the darkness with his ferret eyes, when the chimes of a neighboring church struck the four quarters."

• personification
• metaphor
• hyperbole
• simile

3. Choose two types of figurative language that is used in the following excerpt, "It was a large house, but one of broken fortunes; for the spacious offices were little used, their walls were damp and mossy, their windows broken, and their gates decayed"

• alliteration
• metaphor
• personification
• pun

4. What type of figurative language is used in the following sentence, "Not a latent echo in the house, not a squeak and scuffle from the mice behind the paneling, not a drip from the half-thawed water-spout in the dull yard behind, not a sigh among the leafless boughs of one despondent poplar, not the idle swinging of an empty store-house door, no, not a clicking in the fire, but fell upon the heart of Scrooge with a softening influence, and gave a freer passage to his tears."

• onomatopoeia
• personification
• hyperbole
• Anaphora
• All of the above

5. Read what Scrooge said about his former employer, Fezziwig and then answer the question that follows. "And speaking unconsciously like his former, not his latter, self. 'He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count'em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.' he felt the Spirit's glance, and stopped..." Why is it ironic that Scrooge is talking about his former boss, Fezziwig, in such a way?

• The irony is that Scrooge and Fezziwig are both generous employers who create joyful and positive working environment for their employees.
• The irony is that Scrooge is a cold-hearted and miserly to his employee, whereas Fezziwig is kind-hearted and generous with his employees.
• The irony lies in the fact that Scrooge, who now embodies the opposite qualities of generosity and kindness, is praising those very qualities when reflecting on his former employer.