Final answer:
Figurative language is used by authors to enrich narratives and create vivid imagery. It allows creative expressions beyond the literal meaning, such as a plate of cookies metaphorically 'begging' to be eaten. This technique enhances reader engagement and evokes senses and emotions effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question deals with the concept of figurative language, specifically in the context of literature and descriptive writing. Authors use figurative language to express ideas in creative and vivid ways beyond the literal words on the page. For instance, when saying 'That plate of cookies is begging to be eaten.', the cookies aren't actually begging—it's a metaphorical expression that creates a vivid image and suggests the cookies are very enticing. Examples of this can be found in literature when an author might describe a candy shop, evoking the senses with descriptions of sugary merchandise and enticing display signs, similar to how Richard Estes characterizes the candy store offerings in The Candy Store (7.2.5).
Such descriptions can also depict environments or characters' experiences, as when a passage vividly portrays a bustling market, the sumptuous offerings of a pedagogue’s feast, or the intensity of someone's longing or deprivation. In each case, the figurative language builds a bridge between the reader's imagination and the writer's intentions, enriching the narrative and deepening the connection with the reader. It enables readers to vicariously experience scenarios and emotions like hunger, desire, or joy through empathetic and compelling writing.