Figurative Language

Introduction

Literary writers sometimes use special techniques to add depth and meaning to their writing. Facial expressions, tone of voice, and other physical cues used in spoken communication are not available to writers. Because of this, writers must use other strategies to deliver their meaning and connect with readers. One such strategy writers employ is the use of figurative language.

Some common examples of figurative language include: metaphor, simile, symbolism, imagery, personification, and metonymy.

Why Use Figurative Language?

Everyday communication uses literal language where the written words simply mean what they say, no more, no less. A grocery list is a good example of this kind of writing. If you read a list that says, “sugar, butter, and eggs,” you have a good idea what the writing means and how to interpret it – that is, you need to pick up these three items at the store.

In contrast, figurative language is when words are used that mean something other than what they normally do. For example, if you read a poem that says, “Her eyes were a deep blue sky,” you can tell that there is some extra meaning going on. Since you know that a person’s eye cannot literally be the same object as the sky, you know you have found some figurative language.

Writers have a limited amount of time and space to deliver their complex messages. By using language that evokes certain lived memories or shared experiences in their readers, writers can pack more meaning into fewer words. For this reason, figurative language is often used in poetry and song lyrics.

Identifying & Interpreting Figurative Language

Once you know what to look for, you may be surprised at how often you find figurative language. After identifying figurative language within a text, the next step is to figure out what message the author is conveying, to gain better insight into the writer’s full intent. Interpreting figurative language is often critical in identifying the overall theme and other formal elements in literature, so it’s worth taking a little extra time to thoroughly explore the possibilities.

For an example of this, let us look at an excerpt from the poem “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns (the full text can be found at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43812/a-red-red-rose):

O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.

The poet opens by comparing love, something we know exists but is intangible, with a red rose, something tangible and familiar. Speaking literally, love is nothing like a rose; one is an emotion, and the other is a flower. The readers can, therefore, decipher which traits these items share that connect them closely enough for the poet to say that they are figuratively the same thing.

To do this, consider what you know about roses, their characteristics, and what they look and smell like. Think about how you feel when you see a perfect, red rose and the sweet smell that overwhelms you when you walk into a flower shop. If you have ever received a bouquet of roses from someone special, seeing or thinking about roses may bring those happy memories flooding back. Sensory details add a powerful dimension to your writing. Using figurative language is one highly effective strategy to do so.

Putting It All Together

After introducing the image of the rose, the author builds upon that first metaphor by adding a second, related metaphor. At first, love is like a rose, but the second metaphor describes it as a sweetly-played melody. So now, the same steps from the first metaphor can be repeated to determine the characteristics the newly compared items, love and a sweetly-played melody, have in common. You could also consider what these items share with the red rose that reinforces the overall message.

Final Thoughts

By using figurative language, writers move their words beyond the limits of literal meaning to build insight and deeper meanings for the audience. This process requires some additional work on the part of audiences, both to recognize the use of figurative language as well as to take the time required to extract the multiple layers of meaning the writer has crafted.

The Stone Writing Center has additional handouts on many commonly used types of figurative language including: Metaphors & Similes, Imagery, Symbolism, and Personification & Metonymy.