Explain how an author uses figurative language to communicate theme.

Remember that figurative language are figures of speech that readers used to convey a message in a story. Some of these languages contain similes, metaphors, personifications, hyperbole, etc... In this case, you would use "metaphors and similes to convey the message of a theme in a story, that's because metaphors are things that compare each other without using like or as, and similes compare two things using the words like or as." For example, "always fly like a bird" is a simile while giving you the main idea to go for your dreams because you can't actually fly like a bird and you use figurative language to find out the main idea or theme.

Hope this helps.

yes the first one is correct .