Title: What Are the Effects of Figurative Language on a Short Story? | Education - Seattle PI
Headings: What Are the Effects of Figurative Language on a Short Story?
What Are the Effects of Figurative Language on a Short Story?
Figurative Language Creates Mood
Figurative Language Develops Characterization
Figurative Language Advances the Plot
Figurative Language Enhances Everyday Language

Content: Figurative Language Develops Characterization
Figurative language can enhance characterization in a short story. Characterization refers to how the author chooses to reveal a character’s personality, virtues and faults. Short story writers often use similes and metaphors to reveal more about their characters in fewer words. For example, in Richard Connell’s "The Most Dangerous Game," Ivan, the large bodyguard to General Zaroff, is described as "a gigantic creature." This hyperbole reveals Ivan’s large stature and force, but it is also reflective of his actions in the story, as Ivan is less human and more animalistic in nature. Figurative Language Advances the Plot
Figurative language can advance the plot of a short story. Figurative language can slow the pace of the plot through lengthy descriptions and comparisons to encourage a more philosophical approach, or it can be used to create suspense and drive the storyline. For example, at the end of "The Most Dangerous Game," when confronted by General Zaroff for the final time, Rainsford responds, "I am still a beast at bay." This metaphor emphasizes the emotional state of Rainsford and foreshadows one last battle. Figurative Language Enhances Everyday Language
Figurative language can elevate ordinary, everyday language.