Introduction

Figurative Language: Metaphors and Similies

Consider the following well-known phrases:

Harmless as a dove
Runs like the wind A sunny smile
In the doghouse

Each of these sayings creates a vivid word picture that deepens the reader’s understanding of the author’s meaning. To understand how an author creates and uses vivid word pictures, you need to know about literal and figurative language.

Literal language uses the exact meaning of each word or phrase.
Figurative language conveys a message different from its literal
meaning, employing what are known as “figures of speech.”

Literal language conveys the exact meaning of each word or phrase. For example, if you were out hiking with a friend and said,“We are not out of the woods yet,” he could take your words literally and assume that you were making a reference to your surroundings. However, if you were in a dangerous situation and said, “We are not out of the woods yet,” your friend would understand that you were using figurative language to warn that the danger was not yet over.Hundreds of figures of speech exist, but understanding two commonly used types will make you a more effective reader. The two types are simile and metaphor.

Simile is an indirect comparison between two ideas that uses
like, as, as if, or as though.
Metaphor is a direct comparison between two ideas that does
not use like, as, as if, or as though.

Distinguishing Between Similes and Metaphors