Figurative Language: A Long Walk to Water

What is the effect of this simile:

"Overhead, a jet plane veered away like a sleek evil bird."

• The plane brings is bringing evil to the village.

• The plane looks like a bird.

• The plane sounds loud

• The plane's wings are unstable and flapping.

What does this hyperbole mean?

"Salva felt his knee turn to water."

• Salva found water as deep as his knees.

• Salva's knees disintegrated into liquid.

• Salva felt weak in his knees.

• Salva had the medical problem of fluid build-up on his knees.

What effect does this hyperbole give the reader:

"He sighed, and Salva heard that sigh all the way to his heart."

• Salva loved the sound of the sigh.

• Salva deeply understood the feelings behind the sigh.

• The sigh made Salva sad.

• Salva knew they could become friends.

What effect does this simile have?

"Salva's mouth closed and opened again, as if he was a fish."

• Salva felt like he

• Salva's needed water as much as a fish

• Salva was doing an impression of a fish to make Mariel laugh.

• Salva was so surprised he couldn't speak.

What does this metaphor mean?

"The Nile: the longest river in the world, the mother of all life in Sudan."

• The Nile is really, really long.

• The Nile is the source of life in Sudan.

• The Nile has more living things in it that anywhere else in Sudan.

• The Nile reminded Salva of his mother.

What effect does this simile have on the reader?

"It was like music, the sound of Akeer's laugh."

• Akeer's laugh sounded like music.

• Nya thought Akeer was singing.

• Akeer's laugh was loud like music.

• Akeer's laugh made Nya happy.

What effect does this imagery have?

"He felt as though he were standing on the edge of a giant hole- a hole filled with the black despair of nothingness."

• It shows us Salva found a big hole with nothing in it.

• It shows us the depth of Salva's feelings.

• It shows us Salva is in danger.

• It shows us Salva is afraid to continue his journey.

What is the effect of this simile:

"The frigid air hit Salva's face like a slap."

• It's really cold.

• Salva does not want to begin his new life in America.

• Salva feels the hostility of the people towards him.

• The newness of his Salva's life is painful and surprising,