Junior uses figurative language when he states I think the world is a series of broken same and floods and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats what do he mean

He means that when he draws cartoons he is able to feel alive and above all of the hardships that have rushed into his life like a flood. This is comparable to a lifeboat because they keep people above water, preventing them from drowning, and although they aren’t entirely safe or luxurious they give their passengers hope for the future.