Review the passage from "gumption."

“there goes oyster and that boy of his,” i said, “ragged as a jay-bird, both of ‘em.”

which statement best identifies and interprets the use of figurative language in the passage?

it is a simile; it shows that the men are eager workers.

it is a simile; it creates an image of the two men as battered and downcast.

it is a metaphor; it illustrates the theme of standing up to injustice.

it is a metaphor; it allows the reader to see the story from the narrator's point of view.

Well, if you look at the quote, you'll see a key word, " as a". This usually means a simile is being used. Similes are used to make writing more vivid and powerful. Like when someone says, "He is as busy as a bee." They're implying that they ( in this case a he) are really busy, since bees are usually always "working".  Since a jay-bird is a beautiful bird, I would doubt that its B) . So, my conclusions would be leaning towards A) it's a simile; it shows that the men are eager workers. Reread the text though to make sure you feel comfortable with the choice you pick. Hope this helps! -Saint B

in other words the answer is simply the first one, or A.It is a simile; it shows that the men are eager workers.

figurative language is a resource that fiction writers use to make better descriptions of what they want to write about or express. they can improve their stories, as they can elaborate more vivid and colorful sentences. this way, the reader will be able to have more detailed images in his/her mind.

places, objects, people and even feelings or emotions can be described with a lot of detail to metaphors, similes and personifications. making different kinds of comparisons to make a description more specific, as well as assigning human qualities to non-human objects (and vice-versa) can be very useful for science fiction writers.  

on the other hand, alliterations allow writers to elaborate more entertaining and creative sentences. it consists in using a sequence of words that start with the same consonant letter. they can be used to emphasize something important the writer wants to express, or just as a fun literary device.