When you read a good book or novel, you may find yourself imagining the scenes in a way that makes the reality more beautiful than it feels in real life. For example, in reading Anne of Green Gables, all the different ways that Anne praises the moonshine tends to lend the same appreciation to the readers.
One tool authors use to accomplish this is the use of figurative language. Instead of leaving you with a literal description of events and settings, they use language that evokes our emotions and imagination.
You are reading: Figurative language in books
what is figurative language?
figurative language is essentially written or oral communication that uses figures of speech, such as similes, metaphors, personification, and other literary devices such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, and assonance, among others. in short, it is a language that deviates from the literal meaning of words.
why is figurative language important?
Writers use figurative language to communicate their message as clearly and artistically as possible. Some of the reasons writers use the figurative are because:
- puts foreign ideas into more familiar terms
- helps paint vivid pictures
- adds rhythm and musicality through the use of alliteration, assonance and consonance
- creates an image that attracts not only the eyes but also the ears, with the use of resources such as onomatopoeia
- makes the ideas and descriptions more beautiful and unique
- captures complex meanings and helps readers see concepts in a new way
- allows writers to overlay more than one meaning on top of literal meanings.
- makes writing be more accessible, but also deeper and more surprising
figurative language versus images
Some people may describe figurative language as pictures. however, this is not entirely accurate. Imagery is when a writer uses vivid language to describe things the reader can imagine through their senses, which evokes emotions and memories of events, places, or people.
For example, a sentence can use pictures to show the reader how something looks, smells, feels, and sounds:
The day was bright and sunny, with the fragrance of spring flowers in the air and the sound of birds singing high in the trees.
The above sentence describes a scene using pictures, but the words keep their literal meaning. therefore, it is not figurative language.
See Also: &34In the Books&34 vs. &34On the Books&34 – Difference Explained
even so, images can also use figurative language, as in the following example:
The day was bright and sunny, with the fragrance of spring flowers like the sweetest wine, and the happy chatter of birds in the trees.
In this second sentence, the description uses images, but along with the use of figures of speech: the fragrance of spring flowers is described “like the sweetest wine,” which is a simile, and the song of the birds as “happy talk”, which is personification.
This shows us that images and figurative language are not the same thing, but images can use figurative language to strengthen their meaning.
what are some examples of figurative language?
Literature is riddled with figurative language, because that is what gives writing its excitement and appeal. consider the following examples:
example #1. from “The Gift of the Magi” by o. henry
Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs that they both took enormous pride in. one was jim’s gold watch that had belonged to her father and her grandfather. the other was della’s hair. if the queen of sheba had lived in the flat on the other side of the vent, one day she would have let her hair dry out the window just to depreciate her majesty’s jewels and gifts. if king solomon had been the janitor, with all his treasures stacked in the cellar, jim would have pulled his watch every time he passed, only to see him pull his beard out of envy.
so now della’s beautiful hair fell billowing and shining like a cascade of brown waters. it reached below her knee and became almost a garment for her. and then she did it again nervously and quickly. she once wavered for a minute and stood still as a tear or two spattered the worn red carpet.
In the example above, you can see how the author enriched the image of della’s hair by using figurative language; in this case, the simile “like a waterfall of brown waters”.
example #2. from the shores of plum creek by laura ingalls wilder
laura watched pet, patty and bunny leave. her eyes stung and her throat ached. Pet and Patty arched their necks from her, their manes and tails rippling in the wind. they left happily not knowing they would never return.
See Also: Caring for rare books | National Library of Scotland
The creek sang of itself through the willows, and the gentle wind bent the grass on the bank. the sun was shining and everything around the car was clean, ample space to be explored.
The use of the personification of the creek singing to itself makes the scene more alive for the readers.
example #3. gospel of matthew from the bible
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. when a man found it, he would hide it again, and then, in his joy, he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.
“Furthermore, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls. when he found one of great value, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.
The Bible is another example of a literary work that uses a lot of figurative language. This excerpt contains two of the many parables Jesus uses to describe the kingdom of heaven. this is a good example of using concrete descriptions to make abstract concepts more accessible to readers and listeners.
using figurative language
Knowing how to use figurative language effectively will help you write with more clarity and color.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with the different figures of speech so you can confidently use them to improve your writing.
Did you find this post useful? Let us know in the comments below!
See Also: Timothy Zahn – Book Series In Order
If you enjoyed this post, you might like it too:
- what are images? 5 types and examples
- similes explained: definitions, uses and examples
- the most common figures of speech: definitions, examples and how to use each one
- 17 of the most common literary devices that every reader and writer should know