Joshua Johnson

Mrs. Hawkins
Period 5
In the short story Eleven written by Sandra Cisneros, she relates the story of what
happened on the eleventh birthday of a girl named Rachel. Throughout the vignette, the author
utilizes the literary technique of figurative language to reveal and develop the character of
Rachel. At the beginning of this story, this is shown particularly well through the presence of
similes. One simile reads, [T]he way you grow old is kind of like ... my little wooden dolls that
fit one inside the other, each year inside the next one. This comparison allows the reader to
understand the childlike mind of eleven-year-old Rachel, and the way she views her birthday.
Similarly, the author introduces the main conflict of the story and the sets a somber tone for the
rest of the story by using a simile which compares her age to pennies rattling around in a box.
Furthermore, the author develops Rachels dislike of a sweater by using figurative language to
make it seem like a big red mountain or a stupid clown sweater. In summary, Sandra
Cisneros excellently uses figurative language to enhance her story and make it relatable.