Final answer:
Jonathan Edwards uses intense diction, vivid imagery, and abundant figurative language including metaphors and similes in his writings, aimed at creating an immersive and emotionally charged experience for the audience.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author referenced here, likely Jonathan Edwards whose fiery sermons epitomize the vivid religious rhetoric of his time, uses a variety of literary techniques in his writing. Edwards' diction is often intense and evocative, aimed at eliciting strong emotional responses from his audience. Imagery is another powerful tool in his arsenal, crafting vivid pictures in the minds of his readers or listeners to drive home the points of his sermons or writings.
Figurative language is abundant in Edwards' work, including the use of metaphors and similes to draw comparisons that are meant to leave a lasting impression. For example, a well-known metaphor used by Edwards is comparing sinners to spiders, hanging by a delicate thread over the fires of Hell, which serves to instill fear and the urgency of redemption in his congregation. This sort of language makes his sermons not just a lecture but an immersive experience.
Overall, the use of these devices is strategic and deliberate, crafted to make the religious and moral themes more relatable and impactful for Edwards' audience. Such language invokes a sensory experience and deeply personal reaction, fitting with both the Realistic and Naturalistic elements of fiction that seek to represent life in a more true-to-life, sometimes starkly honest, way.