Similes and Metaphors 101

7 Responses to Similes and Metaphors 101

1. Prof. Gold says:

   February 8, 2012 at 8:50 pm

   Thanks for the post! A few quick comments on this, since it’s the first blog post in our new system:

   1. Please indicate whether this is a “first responder” post or a “seeker” post. You can do that by adding a tag if you know how; otherwise, just indicate the type of post in the post itself.

   2. Please pay attention to length requirements. This doesn’t seem like 250 words to me.

   3. Please make more of an effort to connect your post with our readings. What you’ve written above doesn’t mention any specifics of the chapter itself (or, for that matter, of the video). Try to do a better job of connecting to the text.

   Thanks!

   Reply
2. drucillajcadogan says:

   February 9, 2012 at 12:12 am

   First Responder- Drucilla

   Similes and Metaphors
   A simile is a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared
   A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance.

   The poem,”The Purse-Seine” by Robinson Jeffers, is an example of the use of similes. Jeffers compares sardines caught in a fishing net to mankind in the way that they are are trapped in the “net” of progression.
   The sonnet, “The Silken Tent” by Robert Frost, is an example of a metaphor. Frost uses the word ‘tent’ as a metaphor for the word ‘woman’.

   Analogy
   -the inference that if two or more things agree with one another in some respects they will probably agree in others.

   In the poem “All But Blind”, the poet Walter De La Mare names three animals which can only see under certain conditions and are blind in others- the mole, the bat and the owl. De La Mare is saying is that although some things may be blind to us humans, to each other, they can see.

   Synesthesia
   -a sensation produced in one modality when a stimulus is applied to another modality, as when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualization of a certain color.

   Allusion
   -an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.

   Intended for Sir Isaac Newton
   ‘Nature and Nature’s laws lay hid in night:
   God said, Let Newton be! and all was light.’
   – Alexander Pope is alluding to the biblical belief of creation. (Genesis 1:3- And God said, Let there be light and there was light.)

   Personification
   -a figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is endowed with human qualities or abilities.

   Karl Shapiro’s “A Cut Flower” shows the use of personification. In this poem, the poet gives a flowering plant human qualities; feelings of cold, sickness,smell, love, sight speech and death.

   http://www.merriam-webster.com
   http://dictionary.reference.com

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3. zyxelthrone says:

   February 9, 2012 at 4:59 am

   First Responder- Victor

   Simile is constructed by comparing something/one to something else. But it have to use “like” or “as” in order to compare.
   Ex.
   she is as beautiful as a flower.
   Metaphor is the same but without the use of “like” and “as”. Imagery is give visual description that allow the reader see an image in there head as they read.
   Ex.
   John fell in a pool of paper.
   Imagery gives some depth to the poems that allow the to have some sense.
   Ex.
   The night sky empty with little star.
   Personification is when you give objects is given a human quantity.
   Ex.
   “Oreo: Milk’s favorite cookie.”
   (slogan on a package of Oreo cookies)

   Reply
   • emily says:

     February 9, 2012 at 8:36 pm

     These examples sound similar to how I was taught to understand similes. I agree with your definition with similes. “His eyes sparkle like the north star”. I believe Shakespeare uses similes and metaphors in some of his works. I believe this simile describes a person being weak towards a woman. For example, “Show’d like a rebel’s whore: but all’s too weak” – From Macbeth

     As for metaphors, I believe it is the same as a simile except it does not use “like” or “as”. I think metaphors uses personification more than similes. For example, this metaphor is describing a woman welcoming guest.
     “This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air
     Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself
     Unto our gentle senses.” — From Macbeth

     I’m wondering if you have any examples of metaphors and what is your definition of metaphors.

     Reply
4. Amanda says:

   February 9, 2012 at 5:37 am

   *First Responder Post*- Amanda

   A simile, metaphor, analogy, synesthesia, allusion, personification and mythology is one of many ways a poet can work their way into a readers mind. These literary devices help broaden the horizon of the poem from a written perspective into a visual one. With the help of these devices readers can now understand the message the poet is trying to convey without saying it directly.

   For simile and metaphor the author said on page 19 that “ the mind operates by finding likeness when a new piece of information is fed into the brain”. How he stated this shows how a poet is trying to capture but at the same time make the context simple so it can be compared to real life. For example in the poem My Life Had Stood- A Loaded Gun by Emily Dickinson lines 10 to 11 says, “ upon the valley glow- it is as a vesuvian face”. She compares how the valley looks to the face of a person with rage. But metaphors are still comparing without the use of “like or “as”.

   An analogy is closely related to a metaphor by finding a similarity between “unlike objects”. Synesthesia is a type of analogy that shows a mixture of data to understand another part. On page 34 it says how musical notes were compared to color because he saw colors when he heard notes. An allusion is references that you would understand depending on knowledge or background. According to page 35 there is an example that’s found in the first chapter of Genesis, “And God said, let there be light: and there was light”. Personification is the giving of human characteristics to inanimate objects. Lisel Muller said, “ The faucet sweats out a bead of water”. This gave the faucet the human ability to sweat. While mythology is references to ancient myths.

   Out of all these literary devices some individuals might prefer personification to similes or synesthesia more than allusion. But is one more important, boring or better than another?

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5. Prof. Gold says:

   February 9, 2012 at 3:56 pm

   Hi All —

   these additional first responder posts should be posted as separate blog posts, not as comments on this post.

   Reply

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