Literary
Terms
Simile
A simile is a figure of speech in which two
essentially dissimilar objects or concepts are expressly compared with one
another through the use of “like” or “as.” Simile is used as a literary device
to assert similarity with the help of like or as, which are language constructs,
that establish equivalency. A proper simile creates an explicit comparison
between two things that are different enough from each other such that their
comparability appears unlikely.
A
simile is different from a simple comparison in that it usually compares two
unrelated things. For example, “She looks like you” is a comparison but not a
simile. On the other hand, “She smiles like the sun” is a simile, as it
compares a woman with something of a different kind- the sun.
There
are many common examples of simile used in everyday conversation and writing.
· You
were as brave as a lion.
· They
fought like cats and dogs.
· He
is as funny as a barrel of monkeys.
· This
house is as clean as a whistle.
· He
is as strong as an ox.
· Your
explanation is as clear as mud.
· Watching
the show was like watching grass grow.
· He
sat as still as a mouse, in the futile hope that whoever it was might go away
after a single attempt.
· His
heart was thumping like a drum, but his face, from long habit, was probably
expressionless
· My
heart is like a singing bird.
· My
heart is like an apple-tree.
· My
heart is like a rainbow shell, That paddles in a halcyon sea.
Similes
are an important tool that make language more creative, descriptive, and
entertaining. The mind thinks in images and associations, so similes are used
to make stronger and more effective descriptions than if only adjectives or
literal descriptions were used; they can stir up associated emotions, create
new connections in the mind, and emphasize certain characteristics. Similes are
almost essential to creative expression from everyday speech to poetry.
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