in what ways does the author use of figurative language contribute to her central idea? (sea stars - Barbara Hurd)

I think the figurative language here would be Personification, Metaphor, Simile and etc, because the author is comparing objects.

like to have seen these creatures then: stars in the dark overhead and here a spiny constellation draped over the rocks.

"a galaxy spread out at our feet"

reminders of other worlds we'll probably never see. And here, underfoot, half a dozen sea stars, about to disappear underwater where they'll go on too, misshapen maybe and less visible, doing what they've always done: making their slow way through a galaxy spread out at our feet.

and such