Figurative Language:
Writing or speech not intended to convey literal meaning, usually imaginative and vivid.


Example:
"Jem waved my words away as if fanning gnats."
-To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Explanation:
This is a simile, which is a prime example of figurative language. In this case, Lee uses it to help the reader understand his point, that Jem did not listen to whats Scout tells her. The purpose of using figurative language is to give the reader a vivid image of how much Jem isn't listening. This figurative language is more descriptive and shows how more detail than "Jem wasn't listening".