So, what is figurative language?
Figurative language is using words to create a vivid mental picture of what something is like. This vivid mental picture doesn't always describe things in a visual way. Sometimes it describes a sound or a feeling using words or ideas that the reader probably knows about so they can experience the sound or feeling the author is trying to share.
And why did Mr. Spinelli use so much of it?
A good author will try to draw you into the story, try to make you feel like you are right there where the action is. Good authors have an important message to share with their readers, and the only way for the reader to truly understand the message, or theme, is to share in the experiences of the characters in the story. Figurative language helps the reader understand what situations are like: how they feel, how they appear, how they sound, and yes, even how they smell or taste.
Check out the figurative language devices Mr. Spinelli uses to help us better experience this story:
Hyperbole Imagery Simile Metaphor Personification
Then click on "Your Task" to find out what you need to do!!