The famous
poem "Casey at the Bat" is full of figurative language, as the other educator has
pointed out. Let's take a look at a few more examples:
is the attribution of human-like qualities to non-human
entities or inanimate objects. We see personification in the seventh stanza of the
poem:
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them
on his shirt...
Tongues are being personified and
provided with a human action that they cannot actually perform. This figurative language implies
that people are shouting joyously as Casey prepares to hit the ball.
is the use of exaggeration to convey an emotional point.
We see hyperbole used in the tenth stanza:
With a smile of
Christian charity great Casey's visage shone...
The
implication that Casey's grace in this moment is "Christian" portrays him as saintlike
when he has, in reality, not yet hit the ball. It conveys the sense of worship that the crowd
has for him and the composure that he has while playing.
We see this same
technique used two stanzas later, when Casey takes his final swing:
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow...
Obviously air does not actually "shatter"; this word was
chosen to place emphasis on the deeply disappointing fact that Casey has missed his final shot
and let down the entire crowd. This creates a moment of unbearable tension as we realize that
Casey--who has been built up as a hero of baseball for the entirety of the poem--has failed to
perform the way we expected him to.
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