Improve Your Writing With BLACKPINK: Using Figurative Language

Become a better writer (and reader) with a little help from Jisoo, Jennie, Rose, and Lisa!!

In this fun and quickly paced class we will use the music and iconography of Kpop group BLACKPINK to practice figurate language techniques. We will also look at examples found in their songs. Even strong writers can benefit from having these techniques in their toolbox. Understanding figurative language also helps with reading comprehension.  Figurative Language commonly comes up on standardized tests like the ACT and SAT.

So, what is figurative language?

Basically, figurative language is anytime you stretch the actual meaning of words for effect, whether to sound artistic, make a joke, or communicate more clearly and engagingly. Figurative language is a common technique in narrative writing, where the author strives to make emotional connections with the reader. 

Literal language serves its purpose in certain contexts, such as professional communication, academic papers, or legal documents. However, in other contexts, to put it bluntly, literal writing could be boring. 

On the contrary, figurative language helps make writing and speeches more engaging and amusing. The reader or listener has to think about the words a little more, as if deciphering a riddle, which means they’re actively participating. 
Another use of figurative language is to help simplify complex ideas. Scientists might use it to explain the more complicated aspects of their research that a general audience might not understand. 

For example, Schrödinger’s cat is a popular thought experiment to explain paradoxes in quantum mechanics; without using figurative language, you’d have to learn all about subatomic physics, quantum superposition, and tons of other hard-to-understand concepts. For people without years of scientific training, the metaphor makes it easier to learn. 

Figurative language makes full use of literary devices. Literary devices, in general, work well for making your writing more entertaining, comprehensible, and poignant, so it’s no surprise that they go hand-in-hand with figurative language. from Grammarly 


We will focus on:

Simile
Metaphor
Personification
Hyperbole
and Allusion