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Creating a vivid image in your reader’s mind is a concrete way to create a memorable
They work differently because a metaphor is a figure of speech but an analogy is a logical
Writer’s Digest Senior Editor Robert Lee Brewer explained:
“A metaphor is something, a simile is like something, and an analogy explains how one thing being
Analogy: Joyce’s personal care and hygiene are the same as a pig who roots in the
The aim of the analogy is to show how two things are alike in order to make
With that introduction, let’s look at how metaphors and analogies work in your writing so you
A word or phrase is used not literally but as a representation for a vivid effect
This combination of economy of words and vivid imagery creates an emotional connection with your reader
In Adrian McKinty’s Falling Glass, he describes a view of Hong Kong as “a mashup of
” This metaphor brings to mind a bay filled with boats in Venice combined with the super-modern architecture
It gives the reader an instant visual impression without slowing down the story
And he does that with just two short references that bring images alive in the reader’s
The compressed imagery sparks a response to something familiar while leading to a new way of understanding
A practical way to understand metaphors and how you can use them is through metaphor examples
Metaphors are useful in fiction because they don’t detract from the storyline but add vivid imagery
“If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which
Because a metaphor condenses down to imagery, the reader “sees” it in their mind
Because metaphors are concise, you can use them to pack an emotional punch
When a character uses a metaphor, you get a sense of their worldview
They understand the character’s personality through the metaphor (image) your character uses
Currently I was in ring two hundred and ninety-nine, with elephants dancing and clowns cart wheeling and
The time had come to step back, leave the main tent, go buy some popcorn and a
It plays on the reader’s senses through sounds, images, scents, tastes, images, and touch to make
An analogy works by creating a logical argument comparing two things to make a point
An analogy uses two usually unlike things, and draws a conclusion from the direct comparison
The analogy presents the argument of how the joke and the frog are similar
An analogy uses the familiar to help the reader understand the unfamiliar
In a few words, you make a logical point rather than leading your reader through a long
While a metaphor creates a visual image, an analogy uses familiar concrete terms and images to solidify
The familiar terms help to illustrate exactly what the writer wants to say
Analogies work well in fiction to explain a concept without taking a reader away from the storyline
“If people were like rain, I was like drizzle and she was a hurricane
Then, the explanation of their relationship works to consolidate the idea
The visual imagery creates a concrete image, often an image with emotional overtones
The images are a shorthand for understanding the logical concept
Anyone who has held rich soil in their hand knows how it feels and smells
Without mentioning soil chemistry or physics, the writer evokes the difference and why soil content is important
The best use of an analogy is to lead the reader to a logical conclusion in a
Non-fiction writers use analogies to introduce and summarize major points
They know that a speech must move in order to maintain audience attention
You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles
Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive
But a collection of facts is no more a science than a heap of stones is a
While both metaphors and analogies are concise and rely on visual imagery, the intent is different
The emotional power of metaphors boosts interest in the logical conclusion
The best way to identify and separate metaphors and analogies is to examine the aim
Metaphors and analogies are common literary devices—look out for them in the next book you pick