What does figurative language mean?

Can someone tell me what the figurative language is in each of these and what they mean?

• 1.) "Atticus was speaking so quietly his last word crashed on our ears." 2.) "Mrs. Merriweather played her voice like an organ; every word she said got it's full ...show more

• Answer:

  1) personification - Atticus was speaking in a quite voice (Atticus has a calm demeanor) but the words he spoke held a deep meaning to it. It was important, most likely it was a lesson to them. (Would most likely look at it and analyze it.) 2) simile - There's four beat in a measure and there's plenty of notes put together that can make a measure. It's simply just comparing the way she was talking. It was most likely saying that the way she talked was rhythmic and it had a pattern to it. Another possibility is that each word she spoke is important because in the end when you put them all together it creates a meaning. That's like each note put together create a measure, and each measure together creates music. 3) simile - I can't seem to analyze it for a deeper meaning