Figurative Language

It's a figure of speech!

Instead of saying "Wow, it's raining hard out there," I can use figurative language and say "It's raining cats and dogs!"

First, it's just more interesting.

Second, figures of speech can amplify what we're trying to communicate.

If you say something silly like that, people will probably pay more attention... and be more likely to remember it.

That's what we call RHETORICAL FORCE.

Someone might say this on their way into a meeting. They don't really mean the meeting is full of lions. They really mean they're going into a tough situation by referring to a story from the Bible - the story of Daniel who was put into a den of angry lions by an angry king.

The writer isn't saying the person's name is Scrooge or even that they're old. What they mean is that this person doesn't like spending money. This is a LITERARY ALLUSION to Charles Dickens' famous story A Christmas Carol.

Achilles was invincible, but there was one spot on his heel where he was vulnerable. He died when an arrow struck his heel. While Kate's only flaw is her temper, it can have big consequences.

MERCUTIO: "Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have a dance."

ROMEO: "Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes/With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead..."