Figurative Language In Vonnegut, And The Gift Of The Magi

In most songs, the artist or writer often includes figurative language to help add to the message of the song. One famous example of figurative language in a song is the song Umbrella by Rihanna. She uses repetition in the song, making it memorable to all who listen to it. Another example could be the song Love Story by Taylor Swift. The lyrics of this song contain a reference to Romeo and Juliet, creating an allusion which once again, makes this song more memorable. In most stories, movies, and songs, the creator of said work, uses figurative language to help create description that he would be unable to when using just regular language. The stories The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst, Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, and The Gift of the Magi
The first example of figurative language in the story is when the narrator discusses his sense of pride, and it’s significance: “I did not know then that pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death.” This is an example of a metaphor, which is defined as a comparison without using words such as like or as. The comparison used in the example, helps the reader to understand how Doodle’s brother, the narrator, ticks. The trait that is shown through this quote, is his strong sense of pride, and his later discovery that pride can go either way. It could end positively or negatively. This reveals a lot about the narrator, all through this simple metaphor, which adds a lot to the story. A second example of figurative language, is the final sentence where the narrator states “I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain.” This is another example of a metaphor, in which the narrator compares Doodle to the scarlet ibis which had died in the beginning of the story. He compares the innocent bird to his own brother, who died as the bird did, innocently. As the bird was precious to Doodle, Doodle is precious to his brother, making Doodle the narrator’s scarlet ibis. The comparison not only provides the reader with information about Doodle and his brother’s relationship, it
Henry- like the other two, contains example of figurative language that greatly add to the reader’s engagement and experience of reading the story. One of the most obvious uses of figurative language in the story is irony. The main characters, Della and Jim, both sell something to buy a gift for the other, however the thing they sell, renders the gifts unable to have a purpose. For example: “‘You say your hair is gone?’ he said [...] Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table… For there lay The Combs.” This quote is a good example of ironic figurative language because Della sold her hair to buy a present for Jim, however his presents for her are combs. This whole exchange is a good example of irony, which makes the story much more interesting, and even