Figure of Speech: Meaning & Examples from Literature & Film

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Published: February 15, 2024 | Last Updated: December 2, 2025

Figures of speech are ways of using language that add color and feeling to writing or speaking. They help make ideas clearer or more interesting.

In film, you’ll mostly find them in titles, dialogue, or built into the plot or themes.

For example, in The Matrix (1999, Warner Bros.), the red and blue pills are a metaphor. One represents waking up to the truth. The other stands for staying in safe denial.

The Different Types of Figures of Speech

As a literary device, figures of speech can take many forms. Here is a quick overview of each type:

Figure of Speech Type	Explanation	Example
Alliteration	The repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of closely connected words.	She sells sea shells by the seashore.
Anaphora	The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.	Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better.
Apostrophe	Addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing.	In Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” Mark Antony addresses the slain Caesar in a famous speech, “O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth.”
Assonance	The repetition of vowel sounds in closely proximate words.	Hear the mellow wedding bells.
Chiasmus	Words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form.	In Cicero’s philosophical texts, such as “De Officiis,” a chiasmus can be found: “Not for ourselves alone are we born; our country, our friends, have a share in us.”
Consonance	The repetition of consonant sounds, typically at the end of words.	The ship has sailed to the far off shores.
Epithet	A descriptive word or phrase used with or in place of a name to highlight a defining trait. It can shape how a character, place, or object is remembered and often carries symbolic or emotional weight.	“The Boy Who Lived” for Harry Potter or “The Dark Knight” for Batman.
Euphemism	A polite, indirect expressions that replace words and phrases considered harsh and impolite, or which suggest something unpleasant.	He passed away instead of He died.
Hyperbole	An exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally.	I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
Irony	A figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. This may also be a situation that ends up in quite a different way than what is generally anticipated.	A plumber spends all day working on leaky faucets and comes home to find a pipe has burst in his home.
Metaphor	A direct comparison between two unrelated things, implying they are alike in a significant way.	Time is a thief.
Metonymy	A figure of speech where a word or phrase replaces another with which it has a close association.	“The Crown” as a reference to the monarchy of a country.
Onomatopoeia	A word that imitates the sound it represents.	The bees buzzed.
Oxymoron	A figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect.	Deafening silence.
Personification	Assigning human characteristics to non-human objects or abstract ideas.	The wind whispered through the trees.
Simile	A comparison between two unlike things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as.’	Her smile is like sunshine.

Figures of speech such as those above are used in books, movies, and daily talk to express ideas more clearly and creatively.

Figure of Speech: A few Examples from Movies

Figures of speech appear frequently in films, often enriching dialogues, monologues, and narratives.

Here are several examples of figures of speech from movies:

Allusion

In the “Deadpool” (2016) Red Band Trailer, Deadpool says,

You’re probably thinking, ‘My boyfriend said this was a superhero movie, but that guy in the suit just turned that other guy into a fucking kabab!’

Deadpool

This line points to what people usually expect in a superhero movie. It shows how Deadpool’s violent actions differ from the cleaner, less violent acts of normal superheroes.

Irony

In “Titanic” (1997), Kate Winslet’s character Rose ironically states, “It’s so unfair,” referring to her feeling trapped in her engagement and social class.

The historical irony is deeper when considering the tragic fate of the Titanic itself, juxtaposing her woes against a much larger disaster.

Read more about the different types of irony:

Metaphor

In The Lion King (1994), the Pride Lands’ turning barren under Scar’s rule is a metaphor for how poor leadership and greed can lead to societal decay and environmental destruction.

Personification

In Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” (1991), the characters Lumière (a candelabra), Cogsworth (a clock), and Mrs. Potts (a teapot) are examples of personification, as they are inanimate household objects given human traits, emotions, and the ability to speak.

Simili

In “Forrest Gump” (1994), Forrest says,

Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.

– Forrest Gump

This simile compares the unpredictability of life with the uncertainty of choosing a chocolate from a box without a guide.

A figure of Speech is part of a broader category of Figurative Language.

A figure of speech is part of figurative language.

Figurative language includes various ways of expressing ideas or thoughts in a non-literal, often more imaginative or expressive manner. For example, instead of saying, “he cried,” you might say something like, “His eyes spilled rivers,” or “His emotions spilled over in a waterfall of tears.”

Figures of speech are specific techniques or tools (literary devices) under this broad category, including similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, etc.

Summing Up

Figures of speech bring stories to life in books, movies, and other media. You can use them to show deep emotions and create clear, vivid images by using metaphors, similes, personification, and other tools.