Literary devices are techniques used by writers to convey their messages more effectively, enhance their storytelling, and evoke emotions in readers. They include a wide range of tools, such as metaphor, symbolism, and irony, that enrich the text and deepen the reader's understanding and engagement.
Literal language means exactly what it says, like when you say 'the cat is on the mat' and there really is a cat sitting on a mat. Metaphorical language is when words mean something different from their usual meaning, like saying 'time is a thief' to explain that time can take things away from us, even though time isn't really a person who can steal.