In Chapters 6-8, we talked about and looked for the use of simile and metaphor. Similes and metaphors are examples of figurative language used to make writing more vivid and interesting to the reader.

Similes are comparisons of two unlike things using “like” or “as”. For example, “Bob ran as fast as lightning”. We are comparing Bob to lightning using the word “as”. The effect of the comparison is that we understand that Bob can run really fast, but the lightning reference paints a much better picture in our heads.

Metaphors are comparisons of two unlike things as well, but do not use “like” or “as”. An example of this would be “Donovan is a throwing machine”. Here we are comparing Donovan and a machine. We know he is not really a machine, but in this case it shows us just how well he throws. Again, this is the difference between showing and not simply telling.

Try to think of at least one simile and one metaphor that would effectively “show” a reader what you’re trying to explain. Is one or the other (simile or metaphor) harder to come up with?

-Mr. Dunn