Elements of style: figurative language

Fiction is more than a sequence of events—it’s an experience. A good story tells us what happened; a great story makes us feel it. One of the most powerful tools a writer has to make that happen is figurative language. It’s what turns plain prose into something immersive, emotional, and unforgettable.

Whether you're crafting a sweeping epic or a quiet character study, figurative language isn't just decorative—it's foundational. Perhaps you remember learning about figurative language in English class, but in case you're scratching your head, let's dive in to what figurative language is all about.

What is figurative language?

Figurative language refers to devices like metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, and more—anything that departs from literal meaning to create a more vivid or emotional experience. Instead of saying, “She was nervous,” a writer might say, “Her stomach churned like a storm-tossed sea.”

But it's not just about sounding poetic. It’s about helping readers feel a particular emotion and immerse themselves in your narrative.

Why it matters in fiction

Figurative language turns observation into insight. It helps make the abstract concrete, the invisible visible. It adds layers of meaning, revealing not just what’s happening in the narrative but how it feels to experience what's happening.

Take this iconic line from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald:

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

Fitzgerald's characters aren't literally in a boat. Instead, the boat, pushing through the waves, is a metaphor for the human condition, and it effectively conveys a sense of struggle against the experiences of our past which are constantly seeking to pull us backward. The metaphor brings forward an otherwise "invisible" theme: We are unable to escape our history.

Showing character development through comparison

Metaphor can also be used by a character to reveal how they see the world. Figurative language specifically helps define their voice, tone, and worldview.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee captures Atticus Finch’s moral complexity through this simple simile:

“He was as good as his worst enemy and as bad as his best friend.”

Meanwhile, J. D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye laces his narrative with sarcastic metaphors:

“[Pencey] was one of those places that are full of phonies.”

We understand who Holden is—not just through what he says, but how he says it. His description of Pencey is not literal, but rather a symbolic representation of his perception of the place, one that is superficial and inauthentic. Holden's disillusionment with the world comes through in just this one line.

Creating tone or mood through imagery

Figurative language can also set the emotional tone of a scene. Consider this evocative passage from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury:

“With the brass nozzle in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous kerosene upon the world . . .”

Instead of a literal firehose, Bradbury gives us a python, turning a firefighting scene into something violent and monstrous.

Or consider George Orwell’s stark sensory detail in 1984:

“The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats.”

While not metaphorical, it’s deeply figurative in mood, setting a tone of decay and oppression.

Making the abstract real

When it comes to portraying emotions, trauma, memory, or internal conflict, literal language often falls short, so figurative language becomes the bridge to meaning.

From The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath:

"I felt very still and very empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel . . .”

Rather than simply saying "I felt depressed," Plath gives the reader a visual, physical, and emotional metaphor that captures the eerie numbness that can characterize mental illness.

In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses setting and description of nature to evoke emotional weight:

“A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green.”

The figurative tone sets up a contrast between peace and looming tragedy. The scene Steinbeck describes is idyllic, but the "deep and green" river running through it suggests an undercurrent of complexity and turmoil, perhaps mirroring that of the characters.

Don’t overdo it

The examples above are just a few ways that figurative language can be used powerfully within a narrative to create depth and engagement. As powerful as figurative language can be, though, it loses impact when overused. If every sentence is a metaphor, the prose can become confusing or overwrought.

Tips for using figurative language effectively:

• Use it intentionally, not automatically.

• Let it reveal character or build emotional resonance.

• Avoid clichés (“cold as ice,” “light as a feather”) unless subverted or intentional.

  
  

Think of figurative language like seasoning—too little and the dish is bland, but too much and it overwhelms.

Final thoughts

Whether you’re writing your first story or your fifth novel, don’t be afraid to lean into figurative language. Give voice to the unspeakable. Capture emotions that don’t fit in a literal sentence. Let your language breathe and pulse and sing.

Readers may not remember every detail of your plot, but they'll remember the lines that struck a chord in them. Figurative language is the reason we reread, why we dog-ear pages, and why we quote novels years later.

Want more writing tips like this? Subscribe to the newsletter to receive blog updates or drop a comment—what’s your favorite metaphor or figurative moment in fiction?