What Is The Difference Between Simile, Metaphor And Analogy?

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“Life is like a box of chocolates.”

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Similes, metaphors and analogies are literary devices that every self-respecting author uses, and knowing the ins and outs of what makes them unique can take your writing to the next level. Whilst all three are comparable, they all serve slightly different purposes. Identifying the three and knowing when to use them, however, can be tricky. This is especially true for similes vs metaphors, where all similes are technically metaphors, but not every metaphor is a simile. If you’ve ever caught yourself wondering what the differences are between a similes vs metaphor vs analogy, join us today at What We Reading for our latest guide where we’ll be running you through all you need to know about the similarities and differences that make these tools so effective. 

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What Is A Simile?

Similes are figures of speech used to create a comparison using ‘as’ and ‘like’. A famous example of a simile from a book to keep in mind comes from Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol:

“Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.” 

With similes, readers are more aware of the direct comparison that’s being made by a writer versus a metaphor or analogy. Similes are generally used more sparingly by authors as they can veer into the ‘tell don’t show’ problem area. Remember as well, that similes are a subcategory of metaphors. 

What Is A Metaphor?

Metaphors make direct comparisons between one thing and another, usually for rhetorical effect. One of the most classic examples of metaphor in English comes from William Shakespeare in As You Like It: 

“All the world’s a stage

And all the men and women merely players.” 

This remains one of the best examples of a metaphor. Shakespeare compares the world to a stage by saying one is the other. But, this doesn’t mean he is literally saying they are the same. That is to say, he doesn’t really believe the world is a stage. This comparison is purely rhetorical. By comparing the world to a stage, and the people in it as players, he invites the audience to think about their own place and purpose, and the meaning of human nature. 

What Is An Analogy?

Analogies serve a similar purpose to metaphors and similes. They show how two things are alike, but have the final goal of making a point about this comparison. The purpose of an analogy is to not just show, but also explain. When it comes to analogy vs metaphor, an analogy is generally considered to be a little more complex, and therefore slightly harder to utilise in your writing. Here’s an example of a famous analogy from Harper Lee in To Kill a Mockingbird: 

“People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.” 

This analogy highlights how biases and preconceived notions shape how we view reality. It compares people’s selective perception to the way they consciously choose what they want to see or hear. 

What’s The Difference Between Metaphor, Simile And Analogy?

Whilst these three literary devices are used to compare different things, here are some rough guidelines to help distinguish between similes, metaphors and analogies:

• A simile says something is like something else.
• A metaphor says something is something else.
• An analogy is comparing something to something else to make an explanatory point.
• Similes and metaphors can be used when writing analogies.
• A simile is a metaphor. All similes are metaphors, but not all metaphors are similes.