Many short stories and screenplays are rich in figurative language and literary elements. These are used to enhance the symbols, motifs, and themes within the plot. “The Devil and Tom Walker” is no exception. The uses of simile, metaphor, personification, and onomatopoeia are abundant.
A great lesson plan, after reading the story, is for students to create a scavenger hunt using the Storyboard Creator. Give them a list of types of figurative language to find, and have them create a storyboard that depicts and explains the use of each literary element in the story! They will have an absolute blast and master the words by the end.
| DESCRIPTION | EXAMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Metaphor | An implied comparison between two things | “Tom looked in the direction that the stranger pointed, and beheld one of the great trees, fair and flourishing without, but rotten at the core, and saw that it had been nearly hewn through, so that the first high wind was likely to blow it down. ” |
| Imagery | The use of descriptive or figurative language to create vivid mental imagery that appeals to the senses | "...he had his horse new shod, saddled and bridled, and buried with his feet uppermost; because he supposed that at the last day the world would be turned upside down..." |
| Allusion | Brief and indirect reference to well-known person, place, thing or idea, usually of historical, cultural or literary significance | "It was announced in the papers with the usual flourish that ‘a great man had fallen in Israel.’" |
| Simile | A comparison using 'like' or 'as' | "A miserable horse, whose ribs were as articulate as the bars of a gridiron, stalked about a field..." |
| Irony | The contrast between what expected and what actually happens. | "The Devil take me," said he, "if I have made a farthing!" |
| Personification | Giving human-like characteristics to non-human objects or abstract ideas | "...the stranger was neither Negro nor Indian...dressed in a rude half-Indian garb... a shock of coarse black hair, that stood out from his head in all directions, and bore an ax on his shoulder." |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Use This Assignment With My Students", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows five examples of literary elements in "The Devil and Tom Walker".
Grade Level 9-12
Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)
Type of Assignment Individual or Partner
Type of Activity: Figurative Language
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identification of Literary Elements | All literary elements are correctly identified. | Most literary elements are correctly identified. | Few literary elements are correctly identified. |
| Illustration | Illustrations show attention to the details of the story and demonstrate connection to the literary elements. | Illustrations demonstrate connection to the literary elements. | Illustrations show little connection to the literary elements. |
| Description of Literary Elements | Descriptions clearly explain what the literary elements do to enhance the story. | Most descriptions tell what the literary elements do to enhance the story. | Descriptions are unrelated to the literary elements. |
| Spelling and Grammar | Spelling and grammar is mostly accurate. Mistakes do not get in the way of understanding. | Spelling is very inaccurate and hinders full understanding. | Text is very difficult to understand. |
