analogy in essay writing

What Is Analogy and How to Use It in Your Essay

Table of contents

• 1 Types of Analogies
• 2 How Does Analogy Compare and Enhance Writing?
• 3 Metaphor and Simile: Cornerstones of Analogy (What This Greek Word Means?)
• 4 Crafting Effective Analogies Eight Steps Guide
• 5 Polishing Your Writing Style With Analogy Examples

Analogy is a literary technique that compares related or unrelated concepts, events, or notions to one another. Before writing an analogy, you should know that this concept can implement other literary devices like metaphors or allegories.

This article sets the stage for exploring the diverse landscape of analogical writing.

As you progress, you will also:

• Define examples of analogies and discover how they elevate your essay-writing skills.
• You will learn how analogy enhances essay writing and why it can help you improve your style.
• Examine and master the use of metaphor and simile.
• Master an eight-step PapersOwl guide to learn how to craft effective analogies quickly.

Before we proceed with practical examples and dive deep into theory, let’s start with the analogy definition.

Definition of Analogy in Writing

An analogy in essay writing represents a description that compares this to that by simplifying a certain idea. What you compare may have or may not have similarities. The use of comparative language is common for an analogy. One may encounter phrases like “experienced like an old dog” or “writing essays as a busy working bee.” An analogy general idea can be made between what a young child can do and what modern computers can generate. You can compare and persuade. Likewise, a  persuasive essay author can provide an analogy between a youngster and artificial intelligence.

Analogy’s purpose is to draw comparisons and a more detailed image with a clearer description. When an unknown concept is represented, literal analogies bring more clarity. When you are asked to create a connection between unrelated concepts, analogies become helpful. When you encounter metaphors, similes, or allegories, it indicates their practical use.

Types of Analogies

Speaking of types of analogies in writing, one should focus on various types of relations.

• Analogies that identify identical relationships . These analogy examples are most common as they talk about related concepts. It is like Los Angeles to the United States or guitar to piano. By learning how to write an analogy, one can see the relation between the same country or the musical instrument analogy.
• Analogies that identify shared abstraction. An analogy of figurative language stands for shared abstractions comparing something unrelated. It aims to find commonalities or patterns that make sense. Such cases can compare learning a foreign language to watering seeds that grow into flowers as time passes. Since it is the journey, not the destination, it helps to understand the abstractive language.
• A relation of a certain part to something whole analogy . It is a comparison of two sets of the same object or two parts of the same concept.
• Cause-and-effect relation analogy. It speaks of causes like the lack of water, which causes dehydration.
• Source to product. Think about the wood and the piano manufacturing common analogies.
• Object and a clear purpose. This one can talk about books and reading or water and swimming.
• Comparison of typical characteristics. If something is essential for an object, it becomes the source of the analogy between them.
• Coming from something general to specific parts. You can make an analogy by offering a good detective book by comparing two or more things.
• Metaphors and Allegories. These elements of an analogy in poetry add creativity and literary power, like being tired as a dog or feeling hungry like a wolf.

Tip: Using literal analogies can enhance your writing by building a strong connection between concepts. For example, when you need to provide a  literature analysis essay assignment, you use the creativity and imagination of the author by seeking analogies, among other things.

How Does Analogy Compare and Enhance Writing?

The most important element of using analogy examples in your essay is its enhancement. From clarity to a better description, it offers a mental bridge to the readers. If something in an essay is obscure or complex, an analogy makes it easier to understand demanding concepts.

• Creating Vivid Mental Images.

An analogy compares things and shows a way to help people understand things. When we compare raising children to building a house brick after brick, we receive an instant mental image. Similarly, adding creative writing to an essay helps to enhance the emotional state of things.

• Simplifying Complex Concepts.

Analogy examples help to simplify things that are overly complicated and demanding. It can be used in engineering or healthcare when a certain action is compared to what people know in practice. Likewise, comparing chemical aspects of work to cooking or culinary and human taste can help to simplify things. It is a practical example that gives people more accessible things they can easily connect with.

• Using Analogy to Influence and Convince.

An analogy compares marketing and business writing concepts when the main purpose is to motivate customers. The same is true when the author has to convince. Think about social or environmental causes where cause-and-effect rhetorical devices can become a turning point for readers. A good comparison with a logical argument can help inspire and simplify things, even in marketing. Due to their explanatory nature, analogies are common in  argumentative writing essays or school debates.

• Rhetorical Devices and Analogy.

Most analogies represent rhetorical devices, as we should use at least one type of comparison. Still, it does not work the same way as similes or metaphors that deal with resemblance aspects. A correct example will seek parallels between things that are not obvious or connected in one way or another. When used for an essay assignment, it will add rhetoric to help readers determine what common qualities can be established based on what is not apparent at first glance.

• Analogy in Different Genres.

When you are asked to use examples of analogies for a school essay, the trick is to determine the main purpose and use it correctly. It means that using an analogy in a detective story is not the same as using it for marketing purposes. The same applies when an author must classify different objects for analogy in literature. Likewise, a problem-and-solution analogy can be used in education or to deliver a similar concept. If we choose history books, we can provide old and modern analogies that help us understand historical concepts more clearly.

Metaphor and Simile: Cornerstones of Analogy (What This Greek Word Means?)

Metaphors and similes represent the main cornerstones of the use of an analogy. Take a quick look at several  academic essays related to social or literary subjects, and you will most definitely encounter at least one case. Writers use metaphors to compare something or use them for a specific effect. The tricky part is that a simile is a special sub-category of a metaphor, which shows that most similes are parts of metaphors, yet not the other way around. Let’s identify each case!

A metaphor (from the Greek word “to transfer”) represents a figure of speech that aims to compare things to achieve a specific rhetorical effect. A good example would be saying that the world is a stage or that people in love represent an endless ocean of love. Of course, metaphors are not meant to be taken literally!

A typical simile will create a different type of comparison by implementing the words “like” and “as” in writing. The most famous example of a simile in writing would be the phrase “Life is a beach.” One can spot it by using a direct comparison. It must be used with caution or have an additional explanation. Remember that examples of an analogy should show and explain things, which is why a simile or a metaphor can be used.

• Identifying the Main Differences.

Summing up regarding distinctions for writing analogies, we receive the following five rules:

• A simile aims to show that something is like some other object.
• A metaphor literary device uses poetical writing to say something is another thing.
• The purpose of analogy is to offer an additional explanatory point, not merely show.
• Metaphors and similes can work for an enhancement effect when using an analogy in essay writing.
• A simile is a special subgenre of metaphors, yet not all metaphors are similes.

Crafting Effective Analogies Eight Steps Guide

Making an analogy efficient and fitting always comes down to the practical clarity of a certain description. Depending on the genre, start by analyzing your target audience to make things more accessible. If there’s a concept, think about the main elements and see what is most relevant.

• Analyze the Target Concept. Start with a proper analysis of the main concept that you outline in your essay. If you are dealing with medical practices, do not create analogies that do not fit. Keep within high morals and be sensitive. If you are composing a reflective essay, some types of analogy can be related to your past or certain experiences from your life. These should help people understand you in a better way.
• Choosing the Concept for Explanation . When you seek diverse types of analogies, think about a concept that can be used for explanatory purposes. It means that you may use historical books or comparisons to certain movies or events that have taken place before. For example, you may consider comparing a business deal to Boston’s Tea Ceremony or woodworking to learning how to play guitar well.
• Highlight Relevant Similarities. Although analogies in literature are always about seeking similarities, not all will remain clear to your readers. Therefore, one should focus on relevant similarities and highlight them the best way you can. If you state that our world is like a theater where all of us are merely actors, it should not come out of the blue but have an explanation as you quote William Shakespeare’s words.
• Forming the Basis of the Analogy. Before you add it to your essay, think about making an introduction. An analogy never comes on its own because it requires a special paragraph that highlights it and leads to an emotional climax. Once you have got what is an example of an analogy, add more analytical writing or an explanatory sentence to help your readers see your point more clearly.
• Illustrating the Analogy with Real-World Situations. An analogy sentence that does not make sense will not work. The trick is to help people connect and see how your example can be used in practice. When you say that working at Tesla corporation was like surviving Arizona’s heatwave, most Americans will be able to relate to that.
• Adapting the Analogy to Audience Knowledge. When your analogy is overly complex and relates to engineering or law essay writing, you may not achieve success with that. Remember to adapt your comparison to the level of your target audience. The key is to make things accessible and ensure that you are understood.
• Ensuring Natural Fit and Relevance. It is best to use your analogy in the middle of a paragraph. This way, you can add a special introduction and make it fit naturally. It should fit within a relevant paragraph, making it apparent to avoid using analogies as the final sentence. More space is essential since you must add transition words in an essay.
• Weaving Analogies into the Narrative. Use an analogy to show and explain a certain concept or idea. Use the same narrative tone if your essay is written this way. Adjust your writing accordingly if you use an explanatory or argumentative tone.

Polishing Your Writing Style With Analogy Examples

Coming up with a good analogy may seem challenging, especially when you must get the essay done at the last minute or when you are unsure about the emotional power of your writing. Using an analogy in writing helps you improve things and add clarity, even to the most complex subjects. Refer to the eight-step writing guide above before you start, and don’t forget to double-check existing analogy types! Lastly, remember the importance of balancing active and passive voice as you explain and use various literary devices to enhance your writing further.

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• Writing Tips

What Is Analogy in Writing?

• 3-minute read
• 3rd June 2023

An analogy is a rhetorical device we use to compare two things based on a quality they share. Analogy is a useful writing technique because it can help explain complex concepts in a simple, memorable way. Check out our guide below on how to use analogies in your writing.

What Is Analogy?

Analogy is a form of simile in which you state that one thing is like something else. For example, Stepping out into the summer heat felt like standing in front of an oven is a simile.

Analogies take a simile to the next level by explaining why something is like something else. Usually, we use an analogy to compare two things that are seemingly unrelated. Take this famous example from the film Forrest Gump :

Here, Forrest compares life with a box of chocolates, and then he goes on to explain the point behind the comparison. The listener can imagine a box of chocolates, each with a different filling, and connect it with the uncertainties, twists, and turns of life.

Why Are Analogies Useful?

An analogy takes two things that are unlike and points out something that they have in common. Often, we use analogies to explain an unfamiliar or complex concept by linking it with something familiar and easy to visualize:

Analogies are also useful for evoking imagery and making a point in a more memorable way. Sure, you can say that someone is clumsy, but using an analogy to do so crafts a more vivid picture:

Word Analogies

Word or verbal analogies are specific types of analogies that compare one kind of relationship with another. The possibilities are endless with word analogies, which we can use in many contexts. For example:

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Here, two unconnected relationships are compared. To explain how pillows add a necessary decorative touch to a couch, this analogy refers to the role that hot fudge plays in an ice cream sundae.

Summary: Analogies in Writing

Analogy is a useful writing technique that you can use to make certain concepts easier to understand and/or to evoke imagery that brings your writing to life. We’d love to see how you put this device into practice! Send us a copy of your work, and we’ll ensure that it has perfect grammar, spelling, word choice, and more. Try us out for free today!

Analogy FAQs

What is the difference between an analogy and a simile.

A simile compares two things using like or as . An analogy takes similes a step further by explaining why the two things are alike.

Do analogies appear only in creative writing?

We can use analogies in many contexts, including academic, scientific, and formal writing. They’re useful in scientific writing to compare complex ideas with familiar, simple concepts.

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Definition of Analogy

Common examples of analogy, famous examples of analogy, examples of analogy by thomas carlyle, difference between analogy, metaphor, and simile.

Analogy, simile, and metaphor are all useful and related literary devices for writers to make comparisons. The intention of these devices and their wording is what differentiates them from each other.

Writing Analogy

Writers benefit from incorporating analogies into their work for the purpose of explaining and connecting ideas for their readers. It’s important for writers to understand that an effective analogy is one in which the comparison is logical and easily understood. An analogy that made an unreasonable or illogical comparison would be an improper use of the literary device.

Types of Analogy: Literal and Figurative

Types of analogy in writing, use of analogy in sentences, examples of analogy in literature, example 1: there is no frigate like a book by emily dickinson.

There is No Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away Nor any Coursers like a Page Of prancing Poetry – This Traverse may the poorest take Without oppress of Toll – How frugal is the Chariot That bears the Human Soul –

Example 2: Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Example 3: A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers by Henry David Thoreau

This world is but a canvas to our imaginations.

Synonyms of Analogy

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What Is an Analogy?

Analogies are a type of figurative language that helps enhance understanding by comparing an unfamiliar topic with a familiar one.

What Are Analogies?

An analogy is a figure of speech that explains something unfamiliar by relating it to something familiar.

• “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” —Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

If your writing is a dirty window your readers can’t see through, then analogies are the glass cleaners that clear everything up.

Below, we’ll elaborate on what an analogy is and how it can be a useful rhetorical device.

Analogies: Explanation and Examples

An analogy is a figure of speech that helps your readers understand something that would otherwise be difficult to comprehend. There are different types of analogies, but most work by comparing two unrelated things or ideas.

Here’s an example of an analogy that is often attributed to Albert Einstein:

You see, wire telegraph is kind of a very, very long cat. 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 them there. The only difference is that there is no cat.

This analogy makes a complex subject—the way telegraph and radio work—easier to understand by comparing it to the meow of a (long) cat.

Different Types of Analogies

The two most common types of analogies are one that conveys an identical relationship and another that identifies a shared abstraction.

Identical Relationship

The formula for this type of analogy is: A is to B as C is to D.

A dog is to a cat as sunshine is to rain.

This analogy expresses the comparable relationship between a dog and cat, sunshine and rain: they’re considered opposites.

Shared Abstraction

This type of analogy is one that brings clarity by comparing two unrelated topics and identifying a similar idea, pattern, or attribute.

Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.

This famous analogy draws a parallel between eating a box of chocolates and life: Sometimes you don’t know which chocolate you’re going to eat, like in life, in which you don’t know what’s going to happen to you.

This analogy starts with a simile , but its last sentence, which adds further explanation, is what makes it an analogy . We’ll elaborate below.

Analogies, Similes, and Metaphors: What’s The Difference?

Analogies, similes, and metaphors are all similar figures of speech that make comparisons. Similes and metaphors can be used to make an analogy . The difference between them is that analogies take the comparison a step further by adding an explanation.

• Simile: She is like the sun.
• Metaphor: She is my sun.
• Analogy: “He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking.” —Leo Tolstoy (Anna Karenina)

How To Write an Analogy

Analogies are a powerful tool that can enhance your writing by making things that are usually obscure and complex easier to understand.

If you’re writing about something that may be considered uncommon to your readers, use analogies to make it easier to comprehend. A good analogy:

• Draws a clear parallel between the familiar and unfamiliar topic or idea.
• Elaborates on the comparison to enhance understanding.

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Analogy: Definition & Meaning (with Examples)

Analogy is one of the most common types of literary devices. It's also one of the hardest to understand because it's similar to other types of figurative language. Today, we're going to dive into the meaning of analogy with in-depth explanations and examples.

Analogy Definition: What Is an Analogy?

Let's start with the dictionary definition of an analogy. According to Merriam-Webster, an analogy is "a comparison of two otherwise unlike things based on a resemblance of a particular aspect."

We use analogies all the time in speaking and fields like history and science. They help us illustrate a point that might be hard to comprehend. For example, we might make an analogy between the Trail of Tears of U.S. History and the Jewish Diaspora of World History. In biology, you might discuss the analogous relationship of bat wings and bird wings.

As a literary device, however, analogy's meaning has more nuance that separates it from other types of rhetorical devices. Let's look at the literary meaning of analogy in more detail in the next section.

Analogy Meaning

As a rhetorical device, analogy compares two unlike things with the purpose of both illustrating a comparison and explaining it. You aren't just trying to show a similarity when you use an analogy. You are also trying to make a point about this similarity.

Analogies can be useful to explain complex concepts by comparing them to a familiar idea. Analogies also help paint a picture in a reader's mind and add emphasis to important ideas in writing.

Let's take a look at a popular example of an analogy from the movie Forrest Gump . In the movie, Forrest says that his mother always told him, "Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you're gonna get."

If Forrest just said that life was like a box of chocolates, we would wonder what the similarity is. What point is he trying to get across? It might be that life is sweet or that life is a gift from someone who loves you. But then he explains that we never know where life will take us or what circumstances we will fall into. We don't know until we get there; we can't see the future.

He's not just painting a picture about life. He's making a point about the uncertainty of life and the many twists and turns it takes. This analogy goes further and illustrates the entire premise of the film. Forrest goes from being a boy in leg braces to an international ping pong champion to a dad. No one could have predicted that!

Analogies look similar to other types of figurative language. So, what's the difference?

Analogy vs. Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that shows a likeness between two otherwise different things. The point of a metaphor is comparison. For example, we can say, "the kids were a bunch of monkeys today." We are comparing kids to monkeys.

An analogy not only compares but explains. "The kids were a bunch of monkeys today, climbing all over the furniture, running all over the house, and shrieking."

As you can see, an analogy might feature a metaphor, but it goes further in making a point. This is also different from an extended metaphor. An extended metaphor continues to use a comparison to illustrate similarities of two objects. An analogy requires some explicit explanation to make its point.

Analogy vs. Simile

A simile is a type of metaphor, but it uses "like" or "as" to draw comparisons. Just like with a metaphor, an analogy might use a simile to compare two things, but then the analogy goes on to explain the idea behind it.

The Forrest Gump quote is an example of this. The part of the quote, "Life is like a box of chocolates," is a simile. The next part of the quote that tells how life and a box of chocolates are related is what makes this quote an analogy.

Many analogies use similes and metaphors to make comparisons, but it is not required.

Analogy vs. Allusion

Another figurative language element that is easy to confuse with analogy is allusion.

Allusion is a mention of a person, place, or thing that is considered common knowledge. It's often a reference to a famous person or event or a well-known story, like fairy tales, myths, or religious parables.

Allusion is a way to compare two things. Let's look at an example:

• "The books on the top shelf were forbidden fruit."

Forbidden fruit refers to the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in the Bible. This is an allusion. We can draw enough conclusions from this allusion to understand what the books represent.

Allusions can be part of analogies, too. Remember, where allusions compare, analogies explain:

• "If the library was Eden, the books on the top shelf were forbidden fruit. They opened my eyes to a world beyond the life I had always known."

All of these are useful types of figurative language. The difference lies in the purpose. If the goal is to explain an idea or get a specific point across, it's an analogy.

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Analogies, idioms, and clichés.

Sometimes analogies become so well-known that they become part of our everyday lexicon. Idioms are phrases that don't make sense literally, but they do make sense figuratively. Overused idioms can become clichés.

An example of an analogy that is a cliché is "she's as blind as a bat." It's a very overused comparison. Use ProWritingAid's Clichés Report to help identify the clichés and idioms in your writing. While some common analogies might help you get your point across, some can actually hinder your writing's clarity, especially to non-native speakers.

Try the Cliché Report with a free ProWritingAid account.

Analogy Examples

You probably hear or read analogy examples all the time—they're a common rhetorical device. Today, we'll take a look at some analogy examples from everyday sentences and literature.

Examples of Analogy in a Sentence

Humans love figurative language, and we create analogies in our everyday speech. Here are some examples.

• Ordering clothes online is like playing the lottery. Some fit great, and some are a complete waste of money when they don't even go over your head!
• His voice was warm honey on toast, sweet and comforting and familiar.
• She thought the sound of babies crying was as annoying as fingernails on a chalkboard. Babies definitely weren't for her.

Can you create any analogies?

Examples of Analogy in Literature

Analogy is a powerful rhetorical device. Here are some famous examples of analogy in literature:

• "All the world’s a stage / And all the men and women merely players / They have their exits and their entrances / And one man in his time plays many parts / His acts being seven ages."— As You Like It , William Shakespeare
• “I can admire the perfect murderer—I can also admire a tiger—that splendid tawny-striped beast. But I will admire him from outside his cage. I will not go inside . . . . That is to say, not unless it is my duty to do so. For you see, Mr. Shaitana, the tiger might spring . . . .”— Cards on the Table , Agatha Christie
• "Memory is to love what the saucer is to the cup."— The House in Paris , Elizabeth Bowen

Tips on How to Write an Analogy

When you're writing an analogy to express an idea, it's important to keep two things in mind. First, make sure that at least one of the two things you're comparing is familiar and easy to understand. An analogy should make your point clear to the reader, not leave them confused! Animal or nature imagery, allusions to well-known tales, and everyday objects are good things to use in your analogies.

Secondly, make sure that your comparison is clear without much explanation. If you compare a shy, demure princess to a tiger, you need to explain what specific aspects of the princess and the tiger are similar. Is she ferocious when her loved ones are attacked? Does she prefer to spend time alone outdoors and seethe when caged?

If it takes too many sentences to explain the analogy, try using different imagery that is simpler to understand.

Different Types of Analogy

There are two main types of analogy. These are based on how closely related the two things being compared are.

Literal Analogy

The first type of analogy is a literal analogy. When two things are very closely related, we compare them with literal analogies. These are the types of analogies commonly used in science. Literal analogies can help scientists draw comparisons or make a logical argument.

For example, a virologist might compare the viral structure of two different viruses. If the virus has a similar structure and similar symptoms to another, they are analogous. This will help them theorize that the second virus can be treated similarly to the first.

Literal analogies don't have to be just for science! If you're a baker, you might know that you can make a cheesecake out of either cream cheese or mascarpone. As an analogy, we can say that mascarpone is a lot like cream cheese. They both have high fat content, are very soft, and are not aged.

Literal analogies are the type you might see on standardized tests. They used to feature on the SAT and looked like this: A:B::C:D. You can read literal analogies as "A is to B as C is to D."

Here's a simple example:

• Night is to sleep as morning is to wake .

Standardized tests would have one or more of the words blank, and you had to determine the connection in the analogy. How are they connected?

Figurative Analogy

A figurative analogy makes a comparison between two or more things that aren't necessarily that similar at first glance. The analogy focuses on making a comparison based on a specific aspect of the unrelated things. This is called shared abstraction .

Take a look at the following analogy:

• "Giving candy and coffee as appreciation gifts is just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. It's not actually fixing the issues that are causing low morale, like low pay, long hours, and micromanaging."

If the Titanic is sinking, it's pointless to rearrange deck chairs. Likewise, this quote suggests spending money on little gifts is pointless because it's not addressing the real issues at hand that are causing employee dissatisfaction.

No one is suggesting that low morale at a company is the same thing as the hundreds of lives lost on the Titanic. The shared abstraction is doing something pointless in the face of a disaster.

Should You Use Analogies in Your Writing?

Analogies are powerful literary devices because they create an image in the reader's mind while making a point in a deeper way than a metaphor. Remember, an analogy compares two objects with the purpose of explaining a deeper idea. A literal analogy compares two very similar objects, while a figurative analogy relies on shared abstractions.

Common Questions about Analogy: Definition & Meaning (with Examples)

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• Literary Terms

When & How to write an Analogy

• Definition & Examples
• When & How to write an Analogy

How to Write an Analogy

You should use analogies in your writing when you want to show strong support by comparison. Here are some examples of how to use them:

Normal Sentence:

He ran incredibly fast in the race.

With Analogy:

In the race, he ran with the grace and speed of a cheetah—smooth, flawless, and natural, as if he had been raised running across the plains of Africa.

Those two are very close.

Those two unlikely friends are surprisingly close, like a shark and its cleaner fish—though they have different qualities and purposes, it is clear that neither could survive without the

Although analogies are useful and essential devices, they can be surprisingly difficult to use effectively! You don’t want to make comparisons to just anything, or your writing may start to look sloppy and careless. Here are some examples of poor analogies to show you the kinds of common mistakes you should try to avoid:

Poor Analogy : He ran as fast as a cheetah in the race.

Why It’s Poor : Wait, there was a cheetah in the race? No, of course not. That phrase is a dangling modifier . So just move it to the beginning, as in the sentence above (“In the race, he ran…”).

Poor Analogy : On that warm summer day, we went down to the beach, where the sand was as white as snow.

Why It’s Poor : The author has done so much to show the reader that the setting is a warm, sunny beach in summer. But the word “snow” completely undermines that by bringing up images of cold, grey winter. Rather than improving  the imagery, the analogy actually works against it.

When to Use Analogy

Analogies can be an extremely powerful addition to your writing, so experiment! Using analogies is a really useful skill for improving your powers of logic, reasoning, and writing, and the best way to learn it is to practice.

When you experiment with analogies in your writing, keep the following principles in mind:

• Make sure it’s clear what aspect(s) of the two objects you want to compare.
• Draw an analogy to something concrete , ideally something that people can actually visualize in their minds. If you’re trying to explain an abstract idea, it doesn’t help to compare it to another abstract idea, but it might help a lot if you compare it to something tangible!
• If you’re using analogies in creative writing, make sure they’re suited to the setting ! If the story is set on a boat, try to use analogies having to do with water or islands. Remember the example with the sand and the snow. In that case, the problem was that the setting was all wrong – snow doesn’t belong on a warm, sandy beach!

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
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What is an Analogy? Explained With 10 Top Examples

What is an analogy? Read our guide with top examples and in-depth explanations so you can wrap your head around this literary device.

Literary devices make your prose more colorful and vivid, allowing the reader to make associations. What is an analogy? An analogy compares two seemingly unlike things to help draw a conclusion by highlighting their similarities. Unlike other comparisons, like similes and metaphors, an analogy gives more detail about the comparison to help the reader understand it better. 

While there are many different types of analogy to study, the best way to understand this and other figures of speech is to consider examples. After reading a few analogies, you will be better equipped to spot them or write your own. And when you have finished here, check out our comparison article, simile vs metaphor .

What is An Analogy?

What are the benefits of using an analogy, analogy examples, 1. a name is a rose from romeo and juliet, 2. life is a shadow from macbeth, 3. the crowd is like a fisherman in “a hanging”, 4. life is like a box of chocolates from forrest gump, 5. pulling out troops is like salted peanuts from henry kissinger, 6. the futility of a new author from cocktail time, 7. the mystery of life in let me count the ways, 8. the push for freedom is like summer’s heat in “i have a dream”, 9. a needle in a haystack, 10. rearranging deck chairs on the titanic, 11. the matrix’s pill analogy, 12. harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone, what is the opposite of an analogy, what is an example of an analogy, what is the simple definition of analogy, what are 5 examples of analogy, what is another word for an analogy.

An analogy compares two concepts, usually to explain or clarify an idea. Writers use analogies to help people understand complex or abstract topics by relating something abstract to the familiar or concrete. They also use them as a type of literary device to improve the readability of their works.

By highlighting similarities, a writer helps readers see how one thing works or behaves by comparing the characteristics of abstract ideas to more familiar ideas. As a result, a concept or idea becomes easier to understand and even more memorable.

For example, a news reporter could employ this word analogy: “The presidential race for 2024 is like a chessboard…” Teachers use different types of analogies to demonstrate a concept to a student. For this reason, analogy tests often form part of standardized tests in any good English curriculum.

Analogies work in the real world too! For example, if a running coach wants to explain how a runner can run faster, they could use an analogy like “Pump your arms like a train” to help people understand how they should use their arms and legs to run faster. You might also be interested in learning  what is tautology .

Examples of analogies exist in classic literature, the latest books, movies and TV shows. Here are a few:

Often, analogies compare abstract concepts to something you can touch and feel. There are several examples of analogy in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In this analogy, the playwright compares someone’s name to a rose. The rose retains its sweet smell no matter how it is named, as does the person, regardless of his name. Read our guide to the best books of classic literature .

“If you want my final opinion on the mystery of life and all that, I can give it to you in a nutshell. The universe is like a safe to which there is a combination. But the combination is locked up in the safe.”

Life is a difficult concept to understand, making it a favorite topic for people who write analogies. In Act V of Macbeth, Shakespeare creates an analogy example by comparing a person’s life, and its brevity, to a fleeting shadow:

“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale  Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

Because life is so fleeting, this analogy works. The reader can see the shadow flitting about on the stage, then disappearing, reminding the reader how short life really is. You might also find these  headings and subheadings examples  helpful.

Some analogies take a little more time to explain yet still compare unlike things to make a point. For example, in his essay entitled  A Hanging  George Orwell describes the crowd gripping a man as they lead him to the gallows. The analogy is the comparison to the way a man would hold a slippery fish:

“They crowded very close about him, with their hands always on him in a careful, caressing grip, as though all the while feeling him to make sure he was there. It was like men handling a fish which is still alive and may jump back into the water. But he stood quite unresisting, yielding his arms limply to the ropes, as though he hardly noticed what was happening.”

This analogy is also an example of a simile because it uses the word “like” to make the comparison. However, because it extends beyond just one statement but has a complete description and explanation, it brings more imagery to the reader’s mind and thus is an analogy. Read our guide to the  best satirical authors .

Some analogies are short and sweet, rather than taking up an entire literary work. In the movie Forrest Gump, both the title character and his mother refer to life as a “box of chocolates.” In one of the most famous figures of speech from this movie, Forest says:

“My mom always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

Though this is a simple statement, it is an example of an analogy. The reader has probably experienced the feeling of grabbing chocolate and wondering what flavor it is, so this is a good analogy. But, like life, that box of chocolates always has the potential to give you the unexpected. You might also be wondering,  what is point of view?

Though technically a historian and not a literary genius, Henry Kissinger was famous for many of his analogies. One of his most commonly quoted is this:

“Withdrawal of U.S. troops will become like salted peanuts to the American public; the more U.S. troops come home, the more will be demanded. This could eventually result, in effect, in demands for unilateral withdrawal.”

This quote comes from a  memorandum Kissinger sent to President Nixon  regarding the conflict in Vietnam. He warned the president that bringing troops home a little at a time would create demand for more withdrawal, just like eating tasty peanuts makes you want to eat more. 

Writing a book is definitely challenging, especially when doing so for the first time. This fact is the source of one famous analogy in literature. In  Cocktail Time , P.G. Wodehouse compares a new author to someone performing an impossible task:

“It has been well said that an author who expects results from a first novel is in a position similar to that of a man who drops a rose petal down the Grand Canyon of Arizona and listens for the echo.”

Clearly, expecting to hear an echo from a rose petal at the Grand Canyon is foolishness. Thus, based on this analogy, the logical argument that expecting to see significant returns from a first novel is also foolish. You might also be wondering  what is a split infinitive .

In his novel  Let Me Count the Ways , Dutch author and journalist  Peter De Vries  compares life and a safe. He writes:

In this analogy, the safe can’t be unlocked. Similarly, the mystery of life is something people can’t fully understand.

Speechwriters who are good at their jobs often use analogies to make their words more memorable. In his famous speech, “I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King, Jr., makes an analogy between the anger of African-Americans and the heat of summer in this quote:

“This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.”

Just like the heat of summer is unquenchable, the frustration of those facing endless prejudice cannot be quenched. Yet when freedom comes, it is like the relief of the cool autumn breeze. This quote is still used today when people remember the famous civil rights activist.

Finding a needle in a haystack is a nearly impossible task. This catchphrase or analogy example is often applied to tasks that seem out of reach. For instance, one common analogy says:

“Finding a good man is as easy as finding a needle in a haystack.”

This analogy indicates it is nearly impossible to find a “good man.” Though unfair to the male gender, it does make its point through the use of analogy. Most people can picture digging through the hay to find a needle, but to no avail, which makes the analogy work.

This analogy does not come from any famous literary work or speech but from a well-known historical moment. The sinking of the Titanic was one such event. Sometimes people, when talking about something futile, will say:

“That’s as useful as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”

Since the Titanic was a doomed vessel, the futility of the effort is seen in this use of figurative language. The phrase can apply to any effort that would not matter because the result is a failure, like the sinking of the infamous ship. Check out our metonymy examples .

In The Matrix , there is a famous scene where Morpheus presents the red pill/blue pill analogy to Neo. The analogy is a turning point in the movie where Neo has to pick which path he wants to go down. The red pill represents embracing the uncomfortable truth and becoming aware of the real world he lives in. The blue pill represents choosing the familiar and comfortable path where he can remain in his world, oblivious to the dark reality he suspects.

“You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

J.K. Rowling uses analogies throughout her works, often to give insight into the minds and personalities of the characters. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , Professor Dumbledore speaks to Harry and imparts some of his famous wisdom.

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

In this analogy example sentence, he suggests that while having dreams and aspirations are important, it’s just as important to be grounded and present in the current moment. The analogy aims to show Harry that he should balance his ambition and reality and become mindful in the midst of the chaos that he lives in. It also encourages Harry to let go of regrets and become fully present in his life as it is today.

An antithesis highlights the differences between two contrasting ideas. For example, the analogy “Man plans, and God laughs” shows how we can strive and work towards a goal, only for God or fate to intervene and uproot our best plans. For further reading on a similar subject, check out our post on examples of metaphors in literature .

FAQs About What is an Analogy

An example of an analogy is “Hope is the lighthouse that stands tall amidst the stormy seas of despair.” The analogy emphasizes the idea that hope can help us navigate through the storms of life, guiding us toward a better future and helping us persevere in the face of challenges.

An analogy is a comparison between two things that are alike in some way, often used to help explain something or make it easier to understand.

1. Her laughter was music to his ears. 2. Time is money. 3. He is a shining star in the world of science. 4. The classroom was a zoo during the group activity. 5. Life is a journey with its share of twists and turns.

A related term for analogy is comparison. A comparison is a way of describing the similarities or differences between two things in order to better understand them.

Analogy in Writing (Definition, How To Write + Examples)

What is an analogy?

An analogy is a figurative of speech that allows the writer to express one thing by comparing it to another apparently unrelated thing. When your high school teacher said, “Camels are the ships of the desert”, they did not mean camels are ships. They meant camels do the same job as a ship does in the sea – transportation.

Analogy in writing helps connect familiar things to unfamiliar things and this in turn helps the reader understand the scenario better. An analogy compares and relates to two objects at once and forms a meaningful connection that helps explain a point better.

Analogies use other literary devices like similes and metaphors to form comparisons. It helps by connecting an unfamiliar thing to a familiar thing fo the ease of understanding.

The word analogies come from the ancient Greek word  analogos  which means ‘proportionate’.

What are the types of analogy?

There are two types of analogy that we understand: identical relationships, and abstract concepts.

Identical Relationship

Dark is to light as on is to off.

You have often come across this kind of sentence. This is what is called forming identical relationships. It is where one idea is paralleled to another idea of the same pattern. Dark and light here have the same relation as on and off in the above sentence.

Most identical relationships have the sentence pattern of ‘A is to B as C is to D’.

• Airplane is to sky as ship is to sea.
• Soil is to plant as house is to human.

At times identical analogies can be extended in a way to express the intense relationship two things of people share. For example, “Books are to Sarah as water is to plant”, or “Chewing bubble gum is to Marty as drinking is to drunkards.” These are used to exaggerate and express the relation between two things or people or any habits they have.

Abstract Concept

Abstract concept analogies compares two unrelated things that have a similar pattern. For example, raising children and gardening are often compared. We have come across the saying that “ Raising children is like gardening. ” They share this analogy because both of these tasks require tending, patience ans a lot of care.

Let us take another example. “ Recovering lost money is like finding needle in a haystack .” This sentence connects recovering lost money and finding needle in a stack of hay because both of these activities bear unfruitful results and are not worth wasting time on.

This kind of analogy helps in concretizing abstract ideas by connecting them to something tangible and graspable by the human mind.

Examples of Analogy in Literature

Some analogy examples from great literature are as follows:

Romeo and Juliet , William Shakespeare

“ What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called. “

‘ A Hanging ’, George Orwell

“ They crowded very close about him, with their hands always on him in a careful, caressing grip, as though all the while feeling him to make sure he was there. It was like men handling a fish which is still alive and may jump back into the water. “

Kamand Kojouri

“ Reading poetry is like undressing before a bath. You don’t undress out of fear that your clothes will become wet. You undress because you want the water to touch you. You want to completely immerse yourself in the feeling of the water and to emerge anew. “

Macbeth , William Shakespeare

“ Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing. “

Let Me Count the Ways , Peter De Vries

“ If you want my final opinion on the mystery of life and all that, I can give it to you in a nutshell. The universe is like a safe to which there is a combination. But the combination is locked up in the safe. “

Sootfall and Fallout , EB White

“A nation wearing atomic armor is like a knight whose armor has grown so heavy he is immobilized; he can hardly walk, hardly sit his horse, hardly think, hardly breathe. The H-bomb is an extremely effective deterrent to war, but it has little virtue as a weapon of war, because it would leave the world uninhabitable. “

‘ There is no frigate like a book ’, Emily Dickinson

“ There is no frigate like a book

To take us lands away,

Nor any coursers like a page

Of prancing poetry.

This traverse may the poorest take

Without oppress of toll;

How frugal is the chariot

That bears a human soul!”

‘ Night Clouds ’ , Amy Lowell

“ The white mares of the moon rush along the sky

Beating their golden hoofs upon the glass Heavens;

The white mares of the moon are all standing on their hind legs

Pawing at the green porcelain doors of the remote Heavens. “

Why is an analogy used in writing?

Like every literary device, an analogy is used in literature as a tool to express something better. Analogies should be used to familiarize your audience with complicated ideas or inspire them with big ones.

Analogy also helps writers create a vivid picture of the deeper thought they are going for and this in turn better engages the reader’s mind.

How to use analogies in your writing?

Analogies are everywhere. We use verbal analogies in everyday speech, often with the intention of expressing a point. A good analogy improves the quality of writing. And writing a good analogy can be achieved by many ways. Think of it like a logical argument, especially i case of identical analogies. For abstract idea, find a familiar pattern that fits your writing. Let us understand in detail.

• Opting for  commonly understood things  can familiarize the reader with what you are trying to express.
• Try to use the  compare and contrast  technique to make your analogies more powerful.
• Understand what type of figurative language would complement your  audience .
• An effective analogy is simple, easy to understand, and  inspires   your readers .

Examples of Analogies

Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall.

Living my life like there is no tomorrow.

“Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.”  ( Forrest Gump )

A puppy is to a dog as a kitten is to a cat.

A hammer is to nail as a master is to a butler.

The book was a roller coaster of emotions.

“Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.”  (Don Marquis)

A car is to me as a ship is to a sailor.

“Pupils are more like oysters than sausages. The job of teaching is not to stuff them and then seal them up, but to help them open and reveal the riches within. There are pearls in each of us, if only we knew how to cultivate them with ardor and persistence.”  (Sydney J. Harris,  What True Education Should Do )

“Dumb gorgeous people should not be allowed to use literature when competing in the pick-up pool. It’s like bald people wearing hats.”  ( Broken Hearts Club )

• Analogy is a literary device in the English language that compares and contrasts closely related things together or things that share the same relationship or pattern.
• Analogies are of two types: identical and abstract. Identical analogies compare two pairs of things that share similar relationships. Abstract analogies compare two things that same the same pattern or attribute.
• Effective analogies should be easy to comprehend, familiar, and inspiring to the readers. Analogy uses similes and metaphors to make comparisons.
• An analogy should be used to express a new idea better. The ultimate goal of an analogy should be to make the reader understand a complex idea using literary devices such as analogy.

Tomas Laurinavicius

Keep Reading

Best Writing Tablets

The Complete List of Writing Genres (+ Examples)

What Is the Difference Between Objective and Subjective Writing (Examples)

What Is Subjective Writing (Definition, How To Write + Examples)

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Analogy Definition

What is an analogy? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

An analogy is a comparison that aims to explain a thing or idea by likening it to something else. For example, a career coach might say, "Being the successful boss or CEO of a company is like being an orchestra conductor: just as the conductor needs to stand up front where everyone— even the musicians in the back row—can see him, a good CEO needs to make sure he or she is visible and available to all of the company's employees." The career coach is not saying that CEOs are exactly like orchestra conductors in every way. Rather, comparing CEOs to conductors through analogy allows the coach to articulate an important leadership quality in a memorable way.

Some additional key details about analogies:

• Analogy has different meanings in the context of different academic fields. For instance, someone studying logic would say that analogy is "an inference that, if two things are similar in some ways, they must also be alike in others." A cognitive scientist or a lawyer would have a different definition altogether. Despite the term's broad usage, this guide will focus solely on the literary definition of analogy summarized above.
• Analogy is closely related to metaphor and simile . Sources vary in how they define the relationship between these terms, but most can agree that metaphor and simile are types of analogy.

Analogy Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce analogy: uh- nal -oh-jee

Analogy Explained

Developing a richer understanding of one thing by comparing it to another is the basic idea behind analogy. Far more than simply an illustrative or explanatory technique, analogies are fundamental to the way people think. The writer Douglas Hofstadter even went so far as to say that analogy is "the core of cognition," suggesting that the most fundamental tool we have for understanding the world is the ability to make comparisons between things.

What Makes an Analogy

Analogies can be broken down into two elements: the target and the source . The target is the unknown concept—the thing that the analogy seeks to explain—while the source (also referred to as the analog ) is the known concept, or the thing used to explain the target.

For example, if you've ever seen the Disney movie Shrek , you may remember the phrase "ogres are like onions." In a memorable scene, the ogre (Shrek) tries to explain something about the true nature of ogres to his non-ogre friend by saying:

"Ogres are like onions... Onions have layers. Ogres have layers. You get it? We both have layers."

Shrek creates an analogy comparing the source (something familiar and known, in this case an onion) to the target (something mysterious and unknown, in this case ogres). His goal is to reveal something about ogres (the unfamiliar target ) by showing that he's not so different from onions (the familiar source ) . Not all analogies are as cut-and-dry as this one, but Shrek's comparison is a good example of the basic structure of analogies. Keep in mind, it's perfectly acceptable to analyze analogies without talking about targets and sources—but these terms can be helpful in understanding the structure of analogies, especially with more complicated examples.

Analogy, Metaphor, and Simile

Analogy, metaphor and simile are all similar in that they all have to do with making comparisons. But there's some debate about the precise nature of the relationship between these three concepts. There are two main camps in this debate:

• The first camp believes that metaphor and simile are types of analogies.
• The second camp believes that metaphor and simile are not types of analogies, but distinct tools that can be used to articulate analogy.

Camp 1: Metaphors and Similes are Types of Analogies

Members of this camp see analogies as a broader category into which metaphors and similes fit. They would say that metaphors are implicit analogies, while similes are explicit analogies. In other words, metaphors implicitly perform the function of analogy—pointing out similarities between two different things—by saying that something is something else. For example, "Juliet is the sun." People in the first camp would argue that the metaphor "Juliet is the sun" is a type of analogy because it operates by making an implicit comparison, such as "Juliet and the sun are similar; just like the sun, Juliet is radiant and fills Romeo's days with light." Meanwhile, first-campers would say that the simile "Juliet is like the sun" is also a type of analogy because it draws a comparison explicitly by saying that something is like something else in some respect: "Juliet is beautiful like the sun."

Camp 2: Metaphors and Similes are Tools for Making Analogies

The second camp, however, would say that the metaphor "Juliet is the sun" does not count as analogy. Instead, they would say that the metaphor is being used as a tool to support the distinct and overarching analogy between a woman and the sun. Similarly, second-campers would say that the sentence "Juliet is beautiful like the sun" is a simile which supports the overall analogy comparing Juliet to a celestial body.

The second camp argues that analogy is distinct from metaphors and similes. It argues that analogy is a rational type of argument or explanation—that analogy is the actual conceptual comparison being made. In contrast, it argues that metaphor and simile are figures of speech —that is, they are literary devices or tools whose purpose is to describe something with figurative language rather than to explain or argue something.

However, this distinction can start to seem fuzzy when you start to ask where "describing" ends and "explaining" begins. When Romeo says that "Juliet is the sun," isn't he—in addition to describing her beauty— e xplaining to the reader his love for Juliet by comparing it to the sun?

Summing up the Camp 1 and Camp 2 Debate

It's not necessarily the case that one camp's view is better or more proper than the other, but the first camp's definition of the relationship between analogy, metaphor, and simile is more common—if only because it's not as rigid as the second camp's definition. That said, you only need to know that there are these competing definitions, and then be able to say why you think a given example is an analogy, simile, or metaphor based on the definition you think best fits each term.

Analogy Examples

Analogy in shakespeare's romeo and juliet.

In this example from Act 2 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet , Juliet Capulet puzzles over the main obstacle in her love for Romeo Montague: the Capulet and Montague families are rivals. She creates an analogy comparing Romeo to a rose, reasoning that just as the "sweetness" or loveliness of a rose is entirely independent of its name, the "perfection" she sees in Romeo is independent of—and not at all compromised by— his name and family:

’Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title.

Analogy in Shakespeare's As You Like It

The melancholy character Jaques crafts the following analogy in Act 2 Scene 7 of As You Like It . In one of the most famous lines from all of Shakespeare, Jaques compares the world to stage, and each individual to an actor playing a part that changes with age.

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth...

Jaques concludes his speech by describing the remaining three "parts" or "seven ages": those of the Just Leader, The Silly Old Man who thinks he's still young, and the Truly Old Man who's as helpless as a baby. Using this analogy to compare "the world" to "a stage," and by extension "life" to "a play," allows Jaques to point out what he sees as a fundamental aspect of both real and theatrical experience: performance. These lines function as a particularly powerful analogy when read aloud in the theater, because they simultaneously demand that audience members confront the ways in which they're performing their own lives, remind them of their own mortality, and collapse the traditional boundary between actors on the stage and the audience watching them.

Analogy in Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

In Chapter 26 of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance , the narrator attempts to describe his philosophical world view by drawing an analogy between knowledge and a train.

The narrator's concept of "Quality" refers to a holistic, balanced manner of existing in the world. The narrator believes that in modern life, we often fail to achieve Quality because we create an artificial distinction between an artistic, "Romantic" way of living life—being "in the moment," not stopping to analyze or reflect on things—and a scientific, "Classical" way of living life which involves analyzing how pragmatic things (like technology) work. Through the analogy of the Train, the narrator argues that both the Classical and Romantic modes of thought are necessary to living a balanced life in pursuit of Quality:

In my mind now is an image of a huge, long railroad train...In terms of the analogy, Classic Knowledge, the knowledge taught by the Church of Reason, is the engine and all the boxcars. All of them and everything that’s in them. If you subdivide the train into parts you will find no Romantic Knowledge anywhere. And unless you’re careful it’s easy to make the presumption that’s all the train there is. This isn’t because Romantic Knowledge is non-existent or even unimportant. It’s just that so far the definition of the train is static and purposeless...The real train of knowledge isn’t a static entity that can be stopped and subdivided. It’s always going somewhere. On a track called Quality...Romantic reality is the cutting edge of experience. It’s the leading edge of the train of knowledge that keeps the whole train on the track... The leading edge is where absolutely all the action is. The leading edge contains all the infinite possibilities of the future. It contains all the history of the past. Where else could they be contained?...At the leading edge there are no subjects. No objects, only the track of Quality ahead, and if you have no formal way of evaluating, no way of acknowledging this Quality, then the train has no way of knowing where to go.

Just as a train can't exist without its engine, its boxcars, or its lead locomotive, so too—the narrator argues—Quality cannot be pursued without applying both Classical and Romantic knowledge in a balanced way. This is a long and, obviously, complex example of analogy.

Analogy in Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger

The White Tiger tells the story of Balram Halwai, a self-made entrepreneur who (somewhat illegally) works his way up from the bottom rungs of the social ladder in Indian society. In Chapter 5, Balram introduces the analogy of the Rooster Coop to explain how members of the Indian elite repress the poor:

The greatest thing to come out of this country in the ten thousand years of its history is the Rooster Coop. Go to Old Delhi, behind the Jama Masjid, and look at the way they keep chickens there in the market. Hundreds of pale hens and brightly coloured roosters, stuffed tightly into wire-mesh cages, packed as tightly as worms in a belly, pecking each other and shitting on each other, jostling just for breathing space; the whole cage giving off a horrible stench – the stench of terrified, feathered flesh. On the wooden desk above this coop sits a grinning young butcher, showing off the flesh and organs of a recently chopped-up chicken, still oleaginous with a coating of dark blood. The roosters in the coop smell the blood from above. They see the organs of their brothers lying around them. They know they’re next. Yet they do not rebel. They do not try to get out of the coop. The very same thing is done with human beings in this country.

Balram uses the concrete, ordinary image of a rooster coop to explain the invisible but cruel forces constraining India's poor from making social progress. Not only does he use the rooster coop as an analog for his country, but he also uses it to justify his own behavior throughout the novel.

Why Do Writers Use Analogies?

Writers, and people in general, use analogies for a wide variety of reasons:

• To explain a new, unfamiliar concept in relatable and easy-to-understand terms.
• To help the reader make a new, insightful connection between two different entities.
• To appeal to the reader's sense of reason or logic when proving a point.

The anthropologist Mark Nichter once said (using an analogy) that "a good analogy is like a plow which can prepare a population's field of associations for the planting of a new idea." In other words, analogies pull together information and knowledge we have already stored to create novel combinations, which become the foundation for new ideas.

Other Helpful Analogy Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Analogy: A very wide-ranging yet thorough explanation of analogy and its varied uses across disciplines.
• The Dictionary Definition of Analogy: A basic definition and etymology of the term—it comes from the Greek analogia meaning "proportion."
• Analogy in action: An interesting article from Entrepreneur Magazine entitled, "4 Leadership Lessons Learned From Orchestra Conductors."
• Analogy on Youtube: The "Ogres are like Onions" scene from Disney's Shrek .

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What is an Analogy? Definition, Examples of Analogies in Literature

Home » The Writer’s Dictionary » What is an Analogy? Definition, Examples of Analogies in Literature

Analogy definition: An analogy is a comparison between two things that are quite different in nature. An analogy often explains a complex subject with one that is simpler or more familiar.

What is an Analogy?

What does analogy mean? An analogy is a comparison between two things. By nature, those two things are quite different from each other.

An analogy looks at complex subjects and simplifies them through comparison. The simplified or more familiar aspect of an analogy helps a reader understand the more complex concept.

An analogy may be as short as a sentence or as long as a few paragraphs.

Analogy Example:

Here is a familiar example of an analogy (which also happens to be an English idiom) is:

• The grass is always greener on the other side.

It is difficult to explain trying times in life. This expression simplifies the matter to one that is easier to grasp and understand.

Analogy vs. Simile and Metaphor

Even though it is a comparison, an analogy is not a simile nor is it a metaphor.

What does simile mean? A simile compares to entities with comparison words such as like, as, and resembles.

• He stood as solid as a rock.

What does metaphor mean? A metaphor compares two things without using comparison words.

• He was a rock.

However, an analogy focuses on the similarities between the two entities or situations in order to make a topic more digestible. A metaphor is a figure of speech that says one thing is another.

Modern Examples of Analogy

Example of analogy: A common expression that is an example of analogy is to “let a situation thaw.”

This analogy compares any difficult situation to a block of ice. To let any situation thaw would mean to let it rest, to give it space.

Ice and a difficult situation are not similar by nature. However, an analogy compares the two to show the similarities. Ice is a much simpler subject to explain than a trying situation.

For example, if an employee is frustrated with his employer, a coworker might tell him “to let the situation thaw.”

The situation itself cannot thaw; this analogy is a way to compare a complex subject to a simpler idea. The intention is to give the situation space to let it rest and “melt” before making any serious decisions.

This analogy takes a complex topic (like a heated relationship between two individuals) and makes it more familiar by comparing it to ice.

The Purpose of Analogy

For example, a writer may introduce his work with an analogy to prepare his audience for the difficulty of his subject matter. The comparison may not be evident until the reader has completed the text. Nonetheless, the comparison serves to gently introduce a complex topic and to make that topic more familiar to the audience.

Examples of Analogy in Literature

Analogy Examples in Literature:

In Silent Spring, Carson presents a town which was once rich and flourishing. Then, as man invades the town, nature becomes “silent” because man destroys it.

Carson begins with this “fable” in order to prepare her audience for her complex essay regarding man’s detrimental impact on the natural world.

Carson’s audience can relate to a quiet, peaceful town in Middle America. They can see through Carson’s imagery the beauty and serenity of nature. They understand how man’s impact changes the town.

This familiar story prepares the audience for a less familiar one—that this is not a fable at all, and that man has a destructive impact on his surrounding world.

Summary: What are Analogies?

Define analogy: The definition of analogy is a comparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

Their key features are,

• a comparison between two unlike things
• extended and often situational
• a way to explain a complex subject in familiar or simpler terms

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Writing An Analogy

TIP Sheet WRITING AN ANALOGY

An analogy is an extended comparison between two things usually thought of as unlike. Analogies illustrate and explain by moving from the familiar to the unfamiliar, comparing several points, each of which has a counterpoint. For example, here is an analogy in which an engineering student explains something relatively unknown (loading a tanker) by using her knowledge of something known (filling pop bottles):

A tank truck usually holds between 4,000 and 6,000 gallons of gasoline. Depending on the tanker, three to six individual compartments hold 600 to 900 gallons of gasoline apiece. The tank that contains the compartments is elliptically shaped to distribute the pressure equally and to allow a more complete flow of air when the gasoline is delivered.

Until recently the only way to load a tanker was to climb up on top, where the openings to the compartments are located. You can easily picture this by visualizing six pop bottles lined up in single file on a table. A man wants to fill up bottle three, so he takes the cap off. He then inserts a small hose into the neck of the bottle and turns on a faucet which is connected to the hose.

A gasoline tanker is loaded in a similar way, but on a much larger scale. A man climbs on top of the tanker and opens a particular compartment by removing the cap. He then takes a hose with a four-foot metal pipe down into the "bottle" (the compartment hole), which measures four inches in diameter. A pump is then turned on, allowing the gasoline to flow into the compartment.

Know your audience In the (admittedly unlikely) event her readers had no prior knowledge of pop bottles, however, this analogy might not be particularly informative. The writer chose this analogy based on the likely knowledge of her audience. When you construct an analogy, be certain that the familiar or known side of the analogy is really familiar and known to your reader. It is useless to explain a mineral's crystal-lattice structure by reference to analytic geometry if your reader knows nothing about analytic geometry.

All of us know many things that we can use to help a reader understand an idea better. Here a geology major shows how the oil seismograph works by comparing it to shouting at a cliff wall:

The oil seismograph is a small portable electronic instrument that detects and measures artificial earthquakes. The purpose of the instrument is to find geological structures that may contain oil. The oil seismograph instrument is not mysterious because it can be compared to shouting at a cliff wall.

Imagine yourself standing near the base of a large cliff. If you shout at the cliff face, you will get an echo because the sound waves bounce back from the "interface" where air meets rock. The sound waves travel at 1,100 feet per second. You can find out how far you are standing from the cliff by measuring the time it takes for your shout to travel from you to the cliff and back again, and then by solving a simple formula for distance.

The function of the oil seismograph is to find out how far down in the earth the horizontal layers of rock are. To discover this distance, the oil seismologist digs a deep hole (usually 100-200 feet). At the bottom of the hole, he explodes a heavy charge of dynamite. Ground waves travel from the explosion down to the layers of rock. At each major interface between the layers, the waves bounce back to the surface. The explosion is similar to shouting at the cliff. Just as sound travels through the air at a certain speed, ground waves travel through the earth, although much faster. Ground waves bounce from rock interfaces as sound waves bounce from a cliff face. And the seismologist can determine distance just as you can determine the distance between you and the cliff.

Know your limits It is said that all analogies limp, that is, they are useful for illustration only as far as they remain reasonable. Therefore, do not try to stretch an analogy too far. Like the fabled camel who first put his nose in the man's tent, then his head and finally his whole body, pushing the man out of the tent, analogies can get out of control unless you know when to stop. Cut out or explain any points that cannot be logically compared.

For example, it might be a fair analogy to say that some professional athletes are treated like kings, that they receive special homage from the public and exemption from some rules, that they are more an expense and a pampered group than an asset to the community. But, except for comic effect, it would be overstatement to compare the equestrian charge of a king at an enemy with a football lineman's charge from the line of scrimmage. Likewise, it would be ridiculous to claim that modern athletes believe themselves divinely ordained to lead their country, or that professional athlete-ship is handed down from father to son by divine right. Just because certain similarities between athletes and kings exist, it doesn't follow that every kingly attribute manifests in modern-day athletes. Do not overconnect the subjects being compared.

Good analogies are vivid and logical, and while they cannot prove an argument, they can offer a picture that is very persuasive.

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75+ Analogy Examples [in Sentences]

• Figurative Language
• Published on Sep 19, 2021

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Analogy is a rhetorical device that says one idea is similar to another idea, and then goes on to explain it. They’re often used by writers and speakers to explain a complex idea in terms of another idea that is simpler and more popularly known.

This post contains more than 75 examples of analogies, some of which have been taken from current events to give you a flavor of how they’re used in real-world writing, some from sayings of famous people, and some are my own creation. They’ve been categorized into two types:

• Analogies with proportionate relationship
• Other analogies

To get the most of these examples, notice how unlike the two things being compared are and, in the second type, how the explanation goes.

(Note: Comments that go with examples are in square brackets.)

More resources on analogy:

• What is analogy and how to write its three types?
• People often confuse analogy with metaphor and simile. Learn how metaphor, simile, and analogy differ

1. Analogies with proportionate relationship

1 . What past is to rear-view mirror, future is to windshield.

2 . What Colorado is in the canyon, Jack is in exams. Both run through the stretch quickly.

3 . What Honda Accord is to cars in 2021, Internet Explorer is to web browsers in 2021. Microsoft did well to finally pull the plug on its browser.

4 . What Monday morning is to me, regular vaccines is to my dog. We both don’t look forward to them.

5 . I’m as uncomfortable in taking a swim as a lion is in taking a climb to a tree.

6 . What dredging machine is to small earthwork, sledgehammer is to cracking walnuts.

7 . I’m as jittery facing a potentially hostile audience as an old man facing a snowstorm.

8 . My father is attracted to jazz as much as iron filings are attracted to magnet. Come what may, he’ll find a way to attend a performance in the town.

9 . Loan sharks are feasting on poor villagers by extracting exorbitant interest rates, in much the same way as vultures feast on carcass.

10 . Famished, we patiently waited for the freshly baked pizza and, when it arrived, pounced on it like grizzly bears pounce on salmons.

Here are few analogies by famous writers and public figures:

11 . As smoking is to the lungs, so is resentment to the soul; even one puff is bad for you. Elizabeth Gilbert

12 . MTV is to music as KFC is to chicken. Lewis Black

13 . He is to acting what Liberace was to pumping iron. Rex Reed on Sylvester Stallone

14 . Armstrong is to music what Einstein is to physics and the Wright Brothers are to travel. Ken Burns

15 . Super Bowl Sunday is to the compulsive gambler what New Year’s Eve is to the alcoholic. Arnie Wexler

16 . He was to ordinary male chauvinist pigs what Moby Dick was to whales. Robert Hughes on Pablo Picasso

17 . College football is a sport that bears the same relation to education that bullfighting does to agriculture. Elbert Hubbard

18 . Football is to baseball as blackjack is to bridge. One is the quick jolt; the other the deliberate, slow-paced game of skill. Vin Scully

19 . It has been said that baseball is to the United States what revolutions are to Latin America, a safety valve for letting off steam. George Will

20 . The sound byte is to politics what the aphorism is to exposition: the art of saying much with little. Charles Krauthammer

21 . Ricardo Montalban is to improvisational acting what Mount Rushmore is to animation. John Cassavetes

22 . To be an American and unable to play baseball is comparable to being a Polynesian and unable to swim. John Cheever

23 . Freedom of the press is to the machinery of the state what the safety valve is to the steam engine. Arthur Schopenhauer

24 . The Christian Coalition has no more to do with Christianity than the Elks Club has to do with large animals with antlers. Garrison Keillor

25 . If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seed must grow. Rachel Carson

26 . The president of the United States bears about as much relationship to the real business of running America as does Colonel Sanders to the business of frying chicken. J. G. Ballard

2. Other analogies

27 . More books and tuitions don’t translate into more learning just as a fire hose in place of water dispenser doesn’t translate into more drinking capacity.

28 . Although online trolling is rampant, few thoughtful and well-meaning comments also get posted. How to go about responding to them? Propagate helpful comments by retweeting, liking, or leaving your reply. Ignore the trolls. This is quite similar to how we fan or extinguish a fire. Pour gasoline, and it’ll propagate. Starve it of oxygen, and it’ll die.

29 . Entrepreneurs who are working on projects such as generating energy through fusion reaction, the method that powers our sun, and inter-planetary travel are furrowing a new path. That’s like driving on an alien terrain full of surprises with no taillight to follow.

30 . It’s not easy building a business from scratch. That’s why most entrepreneurs after exiting their first company rather invest in other ventures. It’s easier to pour gasoline on a fire than starting a new fire.

31 . Do you want to work on the fringes, do odd jobs? Or do you want to join an organization and make impact? You can remain a pirate or join a navy. Choice is yours.

32 . When the leak in the pipe was repaired, I was surprised at the high flow of water. It meant that the pipe was leaking for months and got detected only when it burst, stopping the flow completely. In much the same way, bad habits creep into our lives almost imperceptibly, with us hardly noticing it till they culminate in a mishap.

33 . Depression is like the common cold. You don’t realize how underappreciated breathing is until you have a cold, and your nose is stuffed, and all you want to do is be able to take a deep breath. That’s what it feels like to have depression. I just want to be able to breathe again. I just want to feel okay. Source

34 . When I think about the effect of software, I equate it to water. Both are basic necessities. Both defy borders and generally go where they want to go. Both need to be protected and both need to be understood. They are critical resources that will always be central to success, and it is readily apparent when either is absent. We easily understand what it is like to be thirsty, and many are finding out what it is like to be digitally unaware. Both are extremely uncomfortable. Source

35 . The vaccine situation in India is like arranged marriage. First, you’re not ready, then you don’t like any, and then u don’t get any. Those who got are unhappy thinking may be the other one would have been better. Those who did not get any are willing to get anyone. Source

36 . Money is like manure. If you spread it around, it’s useful, and everything around you starts greening. If you leave it lying in a pile, it starts stinking quite quickly. Source

37 . Time for negotiations and beating around the bush is over; we need to take hard steps now. It’s time to give up scalpel and bring in hammer.

38 . We all want precise, quick, actionable solutions to solve the challenges life throws at us. However, answers to life’s challenges don’t come in bullet points. Such answers are hazy and often come in paragraphs.

39 . Ever had gum stuck on your hair. Icky, isn’t it. That’s what sight of a centipede or an earthworm does to me.

40 . While reading, a reader needs to slow down somewhat to comprehend a sentence that lacks parallel structure. Don’t we slow down when we encounter a speed bump on an otherwise smooth road? [Comment: I’ve used this and the next analogy in my post on parallelism. If you can think of a compelling thing to compare with, analogies aren’t difficult to pull off.]

41 . Just as you need two straight lines to even consider the concept of parallel lines, you need two elements in a sentence to even consider the concept of parallelism in a sentence.

42 . While their mother was away, the two leopard cubs escaped wild dogs by remaining standstill, camouflaging perfectly with the rocks in the background. Clearly, the two cubs, barely two months old, had been learning only what matters in the real world – escaping predators and hunting. In contrast, we humans learn myriad of subjects in school and college, of which only a tiny portion matters in the real world.

43 . Like the deadly fog that envelopes the region, affecting normal life for many days, global warming has emerged as the envelope of the entire planet, wreaking untold harm on the earth’s inhabitants.

44 . People gain wisdom little by little through experience, but that’s highly inefficient. You can gain wisdom much faster by learning from others’ mistakes, by receiving advice from mentors, and by reading books which have documented every possible human success and failure. Isn’t that akin to filling a bucket by a dripping tap when you can fill it much faster by opening the tap fully.

45 . You may have the required qualification and skills for a job, you may have mentors to guide you every step of the way, and you may have the best colleagues. But all this means nothing if you’re in the wrong job. It’s like having the best vehicle for a journey and friendliest co-passengers, but heading in a direction different from your destination.

46 . Government has invested so much of taxpayer’s money into the state-owned airline but to no avail. It hasn’t shown profits in nearly ten years. Is it any different from spraying fertilizer on weeds and deadwood?

47 . Trying ten pilot projects to zero in on our new product is quite resource heavy. Instead, we should try maximum 2-3 pilots based on a strong hypothesis. We can’t waste bullets through shotgun fire; we need sniper fire.

48 . None of your business ideas have worked so far because you haven’t thoroughly tested key assumptions in your business model. You’re in a way constantly shooting in the dark, hoping to find the target.

49 . You should stay in this project for few more weeks and complete it. Otherwise, your successor might get the credit for the completed project even though you’ve done bulk of the work. You’ll lay the eggs that others will hatch.

50 . With his skills, he’ll be better suited in marketing than in sales. You can’t put a square peg in a round hole.

51 . The fish asked the two passing subadult fish, “How’s the water?” The two subadult fish quizzically ask each other, “What’s water?” Like the fish don’t know what water is because it’s such an indistinguishable part of their life, we don’t see our frailties because they’re such an indistinguishable part of our lives.

52 . In the division of business empire between the feuding siblings, the sister got the steady cash-generator of a company. The others landed less attractive assets. That was like the sister skimming the cream and leaving double-toned milk for the brothers.

53 . He performed so well in the interview that he topped the exam despite poor performance in the written test. Imagine Usain Bolt winning 100-meter dash despite starting the race ten meters behind others.

54 . Industries such as online retail have such thin margins that an odd adverse event may turn a quarter from profit to loss. Life in the wild for predators is no different. A timely kill, or lack of it, can be the difference between fasting and feasting.

55 . By the time court ordered a stay on demolition order of the municipal body, the building was razed down. That was like conducting a successful organ transplant but failing to save the patient.

56 . Our program helping students boost their brain power didn’t take off. Our program helping struggling students did much better though. Isn’t it easier to sell aspirin than vitamin?

57 . When the leak in the pipe was repaired, I was surprised at the high flow of water. It meant that the pipe was leaking for months and got detected only when it burst, stopping the flow completely. In much the same way, bad habits creep into our lives almost imperceptibly, with us hardly noticing it till they culminate in a mishap.

58 . Public companies can find it challenging to reinvent themselves and make breakthrough progress because of constant pressure to keep short-term results clean. That’s why sometimes companies go private, Dell being an example, to discover their mojo away from the pressures a public company faces. I did something similar as an individual. For a year, I retreated from most time-wasters and social activities, tried multiple things, and found the career path I wanted to take.

59 . The marketing head proposed six marketing channels to pursue to increase brand awareness, possibly playing safe. Throw enough spaghetti against the wall and some of it will stick.

60 . When the company decided to disband the post because of inadequate work, the person-to-be-effected justified its continuance, citing the important functions the post served. Ask a man whose job is to shoo flies about the importance of his job, and he’ll say that he is saving humanity. We all think ours is the most important job.

61 . People underestimate how quickly they can become an expert in a field if they keep on improving and keep putting in the hours on their skill. It’s like how fast money multiplies when it accrues interest in a bank.

62 . If your content features on the second page of search result on Google, no one is going to find it. That’s like a murderer hiding a dead body at a place where no one can detect it.

63 . Just like one should cross a stream where it is shallowest, a company should enter that segment of a market where it has some advantage or where competition is less.

64 . Just as people don’t heed to health warning prominently displayed on cigarette packets and smoke, people don’t learn basic workplace skills despite knowing that lack of these skills affect their chance of landing a good job.

65 . The businessman, who hoodwinked several unsuspecting people with his suave manners and forged pedigree, was finally arrested. What many thought to be a promissory note turned out to be a dud cheque.

66 . Just as a cautious businessman avoids investing all his capital in one concern, so wisdom would probably admonish us also not to anticipate all our happiness from one quarter alone. Sigmund Freud

67 . Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. Winston Churchill

68 . It is with books as with men; a very small number play a great part; the rest are lost in the multitude. Voltaire

69 . A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity, and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon, and by moonlight. Robertson Davies

70 . It is with narrow-souled people as with narrow-necked bottles: the less they have in them, the more noise they make in pouring it out. Jonathan Swift

71 . Adversity has the same effect on a man that severe training has on the pugilist: it reduces him to his fighting weight. Josh Billings

72 . The lights of stars that were extinguished ages ago still reach us. So it is with great men who died centuries ago, but still reach us with the radiations of their personalities. Kahlil Gibran

73 . As the internal-combustion engine runs on gasoline, so the person runs on self-esteem: if he is full of it, he is good for the long run; if he is partly filled, he will soon need to be refueled; and if he is empty, he will come to a stop. Thomas Szasz

74 . I don’t like nature. It’s big plants eating little plants, small fish being eaten by big fish, big animals eating each other. It’s like an enormous restaurant. Woody Allen

75 . The human mind treats a new idea the same way the body treats a strange protein; it rejects it. Peter B. Medawar

76 . I go to books and to nature as a bee goes to the flower, for a nectar that I can make into my own honey. John Burroughs

77 . Trickle-down theory – the less than elegant metaphor that if one feeds the horse enough oats, some will pass through to the road for the sparrows. John Kenneth Galbraith

78 . A man should live with his superiors as he does with his fire; not too near, lest he burn; not too far off, lest he freeze. Diogenes

79 . We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come. Joseph Campbell

80 . Relationships are hard. It’s like a full-time job, and we should treat it like one. If your boyfriend or girlfriend wants to leave you, they should give you two weeks’ notice. There should be severance pay, and before they leave you, they should have to find you a temp. Bob Ettinger

Anil is the person behind this website. He writes on most aspects of English Language Skills. More about him here:

AI Generator

“He’s as strong as an ox” and “Navigating her emotions is like walking through a maze” are examples of analogies, a common method of comparison in the English language. Analogies are not only prevalent in literature and writing but also in everyday speech, serving as an effective tool for communication. They involve comparing two different things or ideas, which helps clarify or emphasize a point. This literary term, known as an analogy, encompasses various types of comparisons, making it a key element in both formal and informal expression.

Like any other literary analysis sample device, Analogy is used in enhancing the meaning of a composition and is also used in helping the readers in creating a visual image in their minds as well as relationships goals and connections when they would read something difficult or sensitive by comparing one thing to the other. Analogies are often used in thesis , essay writing , report writing , and even in speeches .

What is an Analogy? – Definition An analogy is a comparison between two different things, intended to highlight some form of similarity. It’s a linguistic technique used to explain a new or complex idea by relating it to something familiar. Analogies are often used in teaching, writing, and speaking to make concepts easier to understand. They draw parallels that help people visualize and grasp the essence of the subjects being compared, thereby enhancing comprehension and retention.

Examples of Word Analogies

Analogies are crucial in language and thinking, comparing different concepts to enhance understanding. They are used in education to simplify complex ideas, in standardized tests to assess reasoning skills, and in job interviews to evaluate problem-solving abilities. Additionally, analogies enrich literature and daily communication. Examples like comparing pens to brushes or the sun to planets demonstrate how analogies illuminate various subjects, making them more accessible and relatable.

• Relationship in First Pair : A pen is a tool used for writing.
• Application to Second Pair : Similarly, a brush is a tool, but it is used for painting.
• The analogy connects the function of each tool with its primary action.
• Relationship in First Pair : The sun is a central part of our solar system.
• Application to Second Pair : In a broader scope, a planet is part of a galaxy, which is a larger system of celestial bodies.
• This analogy scales from a smaller celestial relationship (sun and solar system) to a larger one (planet and galaxy).
• Relationship in First Pair : A teacher is the guiding authority in a classroom.
• Application to Second Pair : Similarly, a captain is the guiding authority on a ship.
• The analogy compares the roles of authority and guidance in different settings.
• Relationship in First Pair : A clock is an instrument used to measure and indicate time.
• Application to Second Pair : In a similar vein, a thermometer is an instrument used to measure and indicate temperature.
• This analogy connects the function of measuring and indicating specific elements (time and temperature) with their respective instruments.
• Relationship in First Pair : A book is an individual item that is part of a collection in a library.
• Application to Second Pair : Similarly, a piece of art is an individual item that forms part of a collection in a gallery.
• The analogy shows the relationship of individual items (books, art) as components of larger collections (library, gallery).
• Leaf : Tree :: Wave : Ocean It compares the part-to-whole relationship of a leaf to a tree and a wave to an ocean.
• Author : Novel :: Composer : Symphony This analogy highlights the relationship between an author and their creation, a novel, to a composer and their creation, a symphony.
• Doctor : Hospital :: Teacher : School It parallels the role of a doctor in a hospital to that of a teacher in a school.
• Key : Piano :: String : Guitar This analogy compares the function of a key on a piano to a string on a guitar.
• Nurse : Healthcare :: Lawyer : Law Here, the analogy shows the relationship of a nurse to the field of healthcare and a lawyer to the field of law.

More Analogy Examples for You to Solve

• Owl : Night :: Eagle : _______ (Hint: Consider the time of day each bird is most active.)
• Library : Books :: Museum : _______ (Hint: Think about what a museum houses.)
• Novelist : Words :: Painter : _______ (Hint: Focus on the primary medium used by each artist.)
• Teacher : Educate :: Chef : _______ (Hint: What is the primary action a chef performs?)
• Fish : School :: Wolf : _______ (Hint: Consider the term for a group of these animals.)
• Piano : Music :: Telescope : _______ (Hint: What does a telescope help us explore?)
• Rain : Cloud :: Lava : _______ (Hint: Where does lava originate?)
• Heart : Circulate :: Lungs : _______ (Hint: Think about the primary function of lungs.)
• Leaf : Photosynthesis :: Root : _______ (Hint: Consider the main function of roots in a plant.)
• Baker : Bakery :: Librarian : _______ (Hint: Where does a librarian work?)
• Clock : Time :: Scale : _______
• Ocean : Saltwater :: Lake : _______
• Flower : Garden :: Book : _______
• Knife : Cut :: Screwdriver : _______
• Fire : Heat :: Snow : _______
• Poet : Poem :: Musician : _______
• Bird : Nest :: Bee : _______
• Tree : Oxygen :: Sun : _______
• Actor : Stage :: Athlete : _______
• Shoe : Foot :: Glove : _______
• Phone : Call :: Computer : _______
• Rain : Umbrella :: Sun : _______
• Leaf : Green :: Sky : _______
• Baker : Bread :: Winemaker : _______
• Painter : Portrait :: Writer : _______
• Doctor : Patient :: Teacher : _______
• Fisherman : Fish :: Miner : _______
• Keyboard : Type :: Mouse : _______
• Car : Garage :: Airplane : _______
• Map : Location :: Calendar : _______

Examples of Analogies for Critical Thinking

• Just as a garden is a space where flowers grow and flourish, the mind is a space where ideas are cultivated and developed. This analogy emphasizes the nurturing and growth aspects in both scenarios.
• A book opens the door to knowledge, much like a key unlocks a door. This analogy highlights the unlocking and revealing nature of a book, providing access to new information and understanding.
• A telescope enables us to see distant stars, while a microscope allows us to view tiny bacteria. This analogy draws a parallel between the tools we use to explore vastly different scales of our universe, from the vast to the microscopic.
• Just as a foundation provides stability and support for a building, roots offer support and nourishment to a tree. This analogy compares the underlying support structures in architecture and nature.
• In poetry, words are woven together to create emotional and intellectual art, just as colors are blended in a painting to create a visual masterpiece. This analogy compares the elements of creation in different forms of art.
• A chef uses a recipe to create a dish, just like a composer uses a musical score to create a symphony.
• An author crafts stories with a pen as a sculptor shapes sculptures with a chisel.
• Fire is a source of warmth, as ice is a source of coolness.
• A clock measures time like a thermometer measures temperature.
• Trees produce oxygen, and clouds produce rain.

More Examples for you to Solve:

• Helmet : Head :: Gloves : _______ (Hint: Consider what gloves protect.)
• Sponge : Absorb :: Sieve : _______ (Hint: Think about what a sieve does with liquids.)
• Caterpillar : Butterfly :: Tadpole : _______ (Hint: Consider the lifecycle transformation.)
• Magnet : Attract :: Repellent : _______ (Hint: Think of the opposite action of attracting.)
• Flashlight : Darkness :: Air Conditioner : _______ (Hint: What does an air conditioner alleviate?)
• Furnace : Heat :: Refrigerator : _______ (Hint: Think about what a refrigerator preserves.)
• Anchor : Ship :: Brakes : _______ (Hint: Consider what brakes do to a vehicle.)
• Recipe : Dish :: Blueprint : _______ (Hint: What is created using a blueprint?)
• Vaccine : Disease :: Fertilizer : _______ (Hint: Think about what fertilizer promotes.)
• Lighthouse : Ships :: Traffic Light : _______ (Hint: Consider what traffic lights guide.)
• Archive : Documents :: Museum : _______
• Rudder : Direction :: Engine : _______
• Thermometer : Temperature :: Barometer : _______
• Author : Story :: Composer : _______
• Nest : Bird :: Den : _______
• Broom : Sweep :: Hose : _______
• Window : Light :: Dam : _______
• Dew : Morning :: Frost : _______
• Key : Lock :: Code : _______
• Easel : Painter :: Anvil : _______

Analogy Examples in Sentence

• Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get. This analogy compares the unpredictability of life with the surprise of picking a chocolate from an assorted box.
• The heart of a car is its engine. This draws a parallel between the essential role of the heart in the human body and the engine in a vehicle.
• A good book is a magic gateway into another world. Here, the transformative power of reading is likened to a portal leading to new, undiscovered realms.
• The classroom was a zoo. This analogy suggests the noisy and chaotic nature of the classroom, similar to the lively environment of a zoo.
• Her eyes were windows to her soul. This sentence compares eyes to windows, implying that they reveal deep emotions or the essence of a person.
• Time is a thief. This analogy implies that time steals moments from our lives, much like a thief takes away possessions.
• The computer in the modern age is like a pen in the past. This draws a comparison between the role of computers today in communication and creation, and the role of the pen in earlier times.
• The moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas. This vividly portrays the moon as a ghostly ship sailing across the sky, with clouds as its sea.
• The world is a stage, and we are merely players. This famous analogy from Shakespeare suggests that life is like a play, and everyone has a role to perform.
• Watching the show was like walking through a dream. This suggests the surreal, dream-like quality of the show, likened to the experience of walking through a dream.

Examples of Analogy in Literature

Analogy is a common literary device used by authors to draw comparisons between two different things, often to highlight a particular theme or idea. Here are some examples of analogy in literature:

• This famous analogy compares the world to a stage and life to a play, suggesting that our lives are structured like a theatrical performance, with different roles and acts.
• Orwell uses farm animals to represent historical figures and social classes, drawing parallels between the farm’s descent into tyranny and the history of Soviet communism.
• Here, the prejudice and racism in Maycomb are compared to a disease, suggesting they are both harmful and spread uncontrollably.
• The diverging paths symbolize life’s different options and directions, and the choice of path represents a decision that shapes one’s future.
• In this analogy, experiences are likened to physical parts of a person, suggesting that they become integral to one’s identity.

Types of Analogy

• Literal Analogy : Compares two similar things or classes of things that have the same relationship. For example, “Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer.”
• Figurative Analogy : Involves a comparison between two things that are different in nature, often used to explain a concept or to persuade. For instance, comparing the mind to a computer.
• Relational Analogy : Focuses on the relationship between pairs of words. For example, “Hand is to glove as foot is to sock.” The relationship is about things that cover.
• Personal Analogy : Requires imagining oneself as an object or a situation. It’s often used in problem-solving to look at things from a different perspective.
• Predictive Analogy : Used to predict the outcome of some actions by comparing it to known outcomes in similar scenarios. For example, “If you overwater a plant, it dies; similarly, too much of anything, even a good thing, can be harmful.”
• Analogical Argument : Used in persuasive writing and speech, where an analogy is used as an argument or as a part of an argument.
• Negative Analogy : Focuses on comparing dissimilarities between two things. For example, “Arguing on the internet is unlike a sports competition; there are no clear winners.”
• Medical Analogy : Common in medical fields, where symptoms or conditions of a patient are compared to typical cases to diagnose or treat.
• Historical Analogy : Draws a comparison between historical events to explain or predict current events. For example, comparing modern political situations to historical ones.
• Mathematical Analogy : Involves comparing mathematical relationships, often used in teaching complex mathematical concepts.

How to Write an Analogy

• Identify the Core Idea or Concept : Begin by determining the main idea or concept you want to explain or enhance through the analogy.
• Find a Relatable Comparison : Choose a familiar or easily understandable object, situation, or concept that shares similarities or relationships with your core idea.
• Establish a Clear Relationship : Ensure that the relationship between the two entities in your analogy is clear and logical. The comparison should highlight the similarities or explain the concept effectively.
• Use Simple and Effective Language : The effectiveness of an analogy often lies in its simplicity. Use language that is easy to understand and avoids complexity.
• Be Consistent : Maintain consistency in the elements of your analogy. Mixing different metaphors or comparisons can lead to confusion.
• Test Your Analogy : Before finalizing, test your analogy to see if it makes the concept clearer and is understandable to your intended audience.

When to Use Analogy

• To Simplify Complex Ideas : Analogies are excellent for breaking down complex or abstract concepts into simpler, more relatable terms.
• In Teaching and Education : They are used to explain new or difficult subjects by relating them to something familiar to the students.
• To Persuade or Argue : In rhetoric and writing, analogies can make arguments more persuasive by drawing parallels that the audience can easily understand.
• To Enhance Writing : Writers often use analogies to add depth, creativity, and imagery to their writing, making it more engaging and vivid.
• In Problem-Solving : Analogies can help in seeing problems from a new perspective, leading to innovative solutions.

How Does Analogy Work

• By Establishing Relationships : Analogies work by drawing a parallel between two disparate entities, emphasizing their similarities in relation to each other.
• Through Familiarity and Understanding : They often use familiar concepts to explain unfamiliar ones, making new or complex information more digestible and easier to grasp.
• Creating Mental Images : Good analogies create vivid mental images, which can be more effective in communication than abstract concepts.
• Enhancing Memory and Retention : Because they often involve storytelling or imagery, analogies can be more memorable than straightforward explanations, aiding in better retention of the information.
• Building on Prior Knowledge : Analogies leverage the audience’s existing knowledge or experience, providing a foundation for understanding new information.

Analogies, when used effectively, can be powerful tools for communication, learning, and creativity, bridging gaps in understanding by connecting the unknown to the

25 Examples of Analogies

1. life is like a race.

2. Finding a Good Man is Like Finding a Needle in a Haystack

3. Just as a Sword is the Weapon of a Warrior, a Pen is the Weapon of a Writer

4. That’s as Useful as Rearranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic.

5. How a Doctor Diagnoses Diseases are Like How a Detective Investigates Crimes

6. Explaining a Joke is Like Dissecting a Frog

7. Just as a Caterpillar Comes out of its Cocoon, So we Must Come out of our Comfort Zone

8. A Movie is a Roller Coaster Ride of Emotions.

9. You are as Annoying as Nails on a Chalkboard.

10. Life is Like a Box of Chocolates – You Never Know What You’re Gonna Get!

11. Reasoning Analogy

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12. Analogy as the Core of Cognition

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13. Analogy by Similarity Example

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14. Semantic Analogy Example

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15. Teaching by Analogy Example

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16. Animal Analogies Example

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17. The Principle of Analogy

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18. Analogy as Exploration

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19. Science Analogy Example

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20. Practice Analogy Questions

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21. The Reaction Against Analogy

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22. Transformational Analogy Example

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23. Curve Analogies Template

24. Analogy and Transfer

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25. Analogy in Thinking Example

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What is an Analogy?

A  figurative analogy is used when you compare two completely different ideas or things and use its similarities to give an explanation of things that are hard to understand or are too sensitive. Analogies are often used in thesis , essay writing , report writing , and even in speeches .

Step 1: Identify the Two or More Things You Want to Compare

To start is to identify two or more words or phrases you may want to compare. This is the first step to writing your analogy. You must also be careful with the analogy you are going to be using, if your audiences are children, you can use analogy for kids . The important thing is to be able to explain the idea or the concept.

Step 2: Do Your Research on the Similarities

In order for you to explain and understand the similarities between the words or phrases that you are using for analogy, you must first do your research about it. Simply writing two words together to compare is not enough. It is also important for you to understand what these two words mean and how similar are they in order for them to be compared.

Step 3: Make the Analogies

Make or create the analogies once you have figured out the similarities of the words you have written. If you have not, go back to the second step and continue until you found them. The analogy must be in a simple sentence or a simple statement. Avoid using technical jargon that defeats the purpose of the analogy.

Step 4: Give the Explanation of the Chosen Analogies

The last step is to give out the explanation of the chosen analogies. The explanation will help give the reader the idea of what they are reading and can grasp the information from the analogies. Provided the fact that these chosen analogies details and examples to back it.

What is the difference with analogy, simile and metaphor?

More often than not, an analogy is sometimes mistaken with the other figures of  speech examples , namely  simile  and  metaphor , because these are used to seek relationships between concepts and things. The  figurative language  simile compares two objects that use comparison words such as ‘like’ and ‘as’ where the whole metaphor would compare two objects with the use of the said comparison words.

What are the elements of an analogy?

What you can expect in the elements of an analogy are as follows: the two or more concepts that need to be compared, the shared characteristics of these concepts, the differences of the concepts, the purpose, the clarification, and lastly the creativity.

What is the difference between analogy and idioms?

An analogy is a comparison of two or more things, topics or concepts that helps explain the topic. An idiom is a phrase that has a figurative language or meaning to it.

Analogy compares two completely different things and look for similarities between two things or concepts and it only focuses on that angle. The use and purpose of analogies may baffle any reader at first but once they would realize how analogies can help writers in making difficult and sensitive topics or things understandable, analogies might be used frequently.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

Metaphors and Analogies: How to Use Them in Your Academic Life

Certain Experiences in life can't be captured in simple words. Especially if you are a writer trying to connect with your audience, you will need special threads to evoke exact feelings.

There are many literary devices to spark the readers' imagination, and analogies and metaphors are one of that magical arsenal. They enrich your text and give it the exact depth it will need to increase your readers' heartbeat.

Taking a particular characteristic and associating it with the other not only enriches your text's linguistic quality but gives the reader a correct pathway to deeper layers of a writer's psyche.

In this article, we are going to take a good look at the difference between analogy and metaphor and how to use them in your academic writing, and you will find some of the most powerful examples for each. Learn more about this and other vital linguistic tools on our essay writer service website.

What are Metaphors: Understanding the Concept

Let's discuss the metaphors definition. Metaphors are a figure of speech that compares two unrelated concepts or ideas to create a deeper and more profound meaning. They are a powerful tool in academic writing to express abstract concepts using different analogies, which can improve the reader's understanding of complex topics. Metaphors enable writers to paint vivid pictures in the reader's mind by comparing something familiar with an abstract concept that is harder to grasp.

The following are some of the most famous metaphors and their meanings:

• The world is your oyster - the world is full of opportunities just waiting for you to grab them
• Time is money - time is a valuable commodity that must be spent wisely
• A heart of stone - someone who is emotionally cold and unfeeling

Analogies Meaning: Mastering the Essence

Analogies, on the other hand, are a comparison of two concepts or ideas that have some similarity in their features. They are used to clarify complex ideas or to make a new concept more relatable by comparing it to something that is already familiar.

Analogies are often followed by an explanation of how the two concepts are similar, which helps the reader to understand and make connections between seemingly disparate ideas. For example, in academic writing, if you were explaining the function of a cell membrane, you might use an analogy, such as comparing it to a security gate that regulates what enters and exits a building.

Check out these famous analogies examples:

• Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.
• Teaching a child without education is like building a house without a foundation.
• A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.

Benefits of Metaphors and Analogies in Writing

Chances are you are wondering why we use analogies and metaphors in academic writing anyway?

The reason why metaphors are beneficial to writers, especially in the academic field, is that they offer an effective approach to clarifying intricate concepts and enriching comprehension by linking them to more familiar ideas. Through the use of relatable frames of reference, these figures of speech help authors communicate complicated notions in an appealing and comprehensible way.

Additionally, analogies and metaphors are a way of artistic expression. They bring creativity and imagination to your writing, making it engaging and memorable for your readers. Beautiful words connect with readers on a deeper emotional level, allowing them to better retain and appreciate the information being presented. Such linguistic devices allow readers to open doors for imagination and create visual images in their minds, creating a more individualized experience.

However, one must be mindful not to plagiarize famous analogies and always use original ideas or appropriately cite sources when necessary. Overall, metaphors and analogies add depth and beauty to write-ups, making them memorable for years to come.

Understanding the Difference Between Analogy and Metaphor

While metaphors and analogies serve the similar purpose of clarifying otherwise complex ideas, they are not quite the same. Follow the article and learn how they differ from each other.

One way to differentiate between analogies and metaphors is through the use of 'as' and 'like.' Analogies make an explicit comparison using these words, while metaphors imply a comparison without any overt indication.

There is an obvious difference between their structure. An analogy has two parts; the primary subject, which is unfamiliar, and a secondary subject which is familiar to the reader. For example, 'Life is like a box of chocolates.' The two subjects are compared, highlighting their similarities in order to explain an entire concept.

On the other hand, a metaphor describes an object or idea by referring to something else that is not literally applicable but shares some common features. For example, 'He drowned in a sea of grief.'

The structural difference also defines the difference in their usage. Analogies are often used in academic writing where hard concepts need to be aligned with an easier and more familiar concept. This assists the reader in comprehending complex ideas more effortlessly. Metaphors, on the other hand, are more often used in creative writing or literature. They bring depth and nuance to language, allowing for abstract ideas to be communicated in a more engaging and imaginative way.

Keep reading and discover examples of metaphors and analogies in both academic and creative writing. While you are at it, our expert writers are ready to provide custom essays and papers which incorporate these literary devices in a seamless and effective way.

Using Famous Analogies Can Raise Plagiarism Concerns!

To avoid the trouble, use our online plagiarism checker and be sure that your work is original before submitting it.

Analogies and Metaphors Examples

There were a few analogies and metaphors examples mentioned along the way, but let's explore a few more to truly understand their power. Below you will find the list of metaphors and analogies, and you will never mistake one for the other again.

• Love is like a rose, beautiful but with thorns.
• The human body is like a machine, with many intricate parts working together in harmony.
• The structure of an atom is similar to a miniature solar system, with electrons orbiting around the nucleus.
• A computer's motherboard is like a city's central system, coordinating and communicating all functions.
• The brain is like a muscle that needs constant exercise to function at its best.
• Studying for exams is like training for a marathon; it requires endurance and preparation.
• Explaining a complex scientific concept is like explaining a foreign language to someone who doesn't speak it.
• A successful team is like a well-oiled machine, with each member playing a crucial role.
• Learning a new skill is like planting a seed; it requires nurturing and patience to see growth.
• Navigating through life is like sailing a ship with unpredictable currents and changing winds.
• Life is a journey with many twists and turns along the way
• The world's a stage, and we are all mere players.
• Her eyes were pools of sorrow, reflecting the pain she felt.
• Time is a thief, stealing away moments we can never recapture.
• Love is a flame, burning brightly but at risk of being extinguished.
• His words were daggers piercing through my heart.
• She had a heart of stone, unable to feel empathy or compassion.
• The city was a jungle, teeming with life and activity.
• Hope is a beacon, guiding us through the darkest of times.
• His anger was a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.

How to Use Metaphors and Analogies in Writing: Helpful Tips

If you want your readers to have a memorable and engaging experience, you should give them some level of autonomy within your own text. Metaphors and analogies are powerful tools to let your audience do their personal interpretation and logical conclusion while still guiding them in the right direction.

First, learn about your audience and their level of familiarity with the topic you're writing about. Incorporate metaphors and analogies with familiar references. Remember, literary devices should cleverly explain complex concepts. To achieve the goal, remain coherent with the theme of the paper. But be careful not to overuse metaphors or analogies, as too much of a good thing can make your writing feel overloaded.

Use figurative language to evoke visual imagery and breathe life into your paper. Multiple metaphors can turn your paper into a movie. Visualizing ideas will help readers better understand and retain the information.

In conclusion, anytime is a great time to extend your text's impact by adding a well-chosen metaphor or analogy. But perfection is on the border of good and bad, so keep in mind to remain coherent with the theme and not overuse any literary device.

Metaphors: Unveiling Their Cultural Significance

Metaphors are not limited to just academic writing but can also be found in various forms of culture, such as art, music, film, and television. Metaphors have been a popular element in creative expression for centuries and continue to play a significant role in modern-day culture. For instance, metaphors can help artists convey complex emotions through their music or paintings.

Metaphors are often like time capsules, reflecting the cultural and societal values of a particular era. They shelter the prevailing beliefs, ideals, and philosophies of their time - from the pharaohs of ancient Egypt to modern-day pop culture.

Metaphors often frame our perception of the world and can shape our understanding of our surroundings. Certain words can take on new meanings when used metaphorically in certain cultural contexts and can assimilate to the phenomenon it is often compared to.

Here you can find a list of literature and poems with metaphors:

• William Shakespeare loved using metaphors, and here's one from his infamous Macbeth: 'It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.'
• Victor Hugo offers a timeless metaphor in Les Misérables: 'She is a rose, delicate and beautiful, but with thorns to protect her.'
• Robert Frost reminds us of his genius in the poem The Road Not Traveled: 'The road less traveled.'

Movies also contain a wide range of English metaphors:

• A famous metaphor from Toy Story: 'There's a snake in my boot!'
• A metaphor from the famous movie Silver Lining Playbook: 'Life is a game, and true love is a trophy.'
• An all-encompassing and iconic metaphor from the movie Star Wars: 'Fear is the path to the dark side.'

Don't forget about famous songs with beautiful metaphors!

• Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind uses a powerful metaphor when he asks: 'How many roads must a man walk down?'
• A metaphor from Johnny Cash's song Ring of Fire: 'Love is a burning thing, and it makes a fiery ring.'
• Bonnie Tyler's famous lyrics from Total Eclipse of the Heart make a great metaphor: 'Love is a mystery, everyone must stand alone.'

Keep reading the article to find out how to write an essay with the effective use of metaphors in academic writing.

Exploring Types of Metaphors

There is a wide variety of metaphors used in academic writing, literature, music, and film. Different types of metaphors can be used to convey different meanings and create a specific impact or evoke a vivid image.

Some common types of metaphors include similes / simple metaphors, implicit metaphors, explicit metaphors, extended metaphors, mixed metaphors, and dead metaphors. Let's take a closer look at some of these types.

Simple metaphors or similes highlight the similarity between two things using 'like' or 'as.' For example, 'Her eyes were as bright as the stars.'

Implicit metaphors do not make a direct comparison. Instead, they imply the similarity between the two concepts. An example of an implicit metaphor is 'Her words cut deep,' where the similarity between words and a knife is implied. Good metaphors are often implicit since they require the reader to use their own understanding and imagination to understand the comparison being made.

Explicit metaphors are straightforward, making a clear comparison between two things. For instance, 'He is a shining star.'

An extended metaphor, on the other hand, stretches the comparison throughout an entire literary work or section of a text. This type of metaphor allows the writer to create a more complex and elaborate comparison, enhancing the reader's understanding of the subject.

Mixed metaphors combine two or more unrelated metaphors, often leading to confusion and lack of clarity. If you are not an expert on the subject, try to avoid using confusing literary devices.

Dead metaphors are another danger. These are metaphors that have been overused to the extent that they have lost their original impact, becoming clichés and not being able to evoke original visual images.

In academic writing, metaphors create a powerful impact on the reader, adding color and depth to everyday language. However, they need to be well-placed and intentional. Using an inappropriate or irrelevant metaphor may confuse readers and distract them from the main message. If you want to avoid trouble, pay for essay writing service that can help you use metaphors effectively in your academic writing.

Exploring Types of Analogies

Like metaphors, analogies are divided into several categories. Some of the common types include literal analogies, figurative analogies, descriptive analogies, causal analogies, and false/dubious analogies. In academic writing, analogies are useful for explaining complex ideas or phenomena in a way that is easy to understand.

Literal analogies are direct comparisons of two things with similar characteristics or features. For instance, 'The brain is like a computer.'

Figurative analogies, on the other hand, compare two unrelated things to highlight a particular characteristic. For example, 'The mind is a garden that needs to be tended.'

Descriptive analogies focus on the detailed similarities between two things, even if they are not immediately apparent. For example, 'The relationship between a supervisor and an employee is like that of a coach and a player, where the coach guides the player to perform at their best.'

Causal analogies are used to explain the relationship between a cause and an effect. For instance, 'The increase in global temperatures is like a fever caused by environmental pollution.'

Finally, false/dubious analogies are comparisons that suggest a similarity between two things that actually have little in common. For example, 'Getting a college degree is like winning the lottery.'

If you are trying to explain a foreign concept to an audience that may not be familiar with it, analogies can help create a bridge and make the concept more relatable. However, coming up with a perfect analogy takes a lot of time. If you are looking for ways on how to write an essay fast , explore our blog and learn even more.

If you want your academic papers to stand out and be engaging for the reader, using metaphors and analogies can be a powerful tool. Now that you know the difference between analogy and metaphor, you can use them wisely to create a bridge between complex ideas and your audience.

Explore our blog for more information on different writing techniques, and check out our essay writing service for more help on crafting the perfect papers.

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Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

How to Write an Analogy Essay

Isaiah david.

An analogy compares two unlike things to illustrate common elements of both. An analogy essay is an extended analogy, which explains one thing in considerable depth by comparing it to another. Analogy essays can be used to discuss nearly anything, as long as the writer can find a comparison that fits.

Explore this article

• Come up with an analogy
• Draw a vertical line
• Write a paragraph discussing the explainer
• Write a paragraph discussing the explained
• Discuss the differences

things needed

1 come up with an analogy.

Come up with an analogy. One half of the analogy is the thing being explained, while the other half is the explainer. For example, if you said growing up is like learning to ride a bike, you would be explaining something complex and subtle (growing up) in terms of something simple that your audience will be familiar with (riding a bike.)

2 Draw a vertical line

Draw a vertical line down the middle of a piece of paper to divide it in half. On one half, write characteristics of the explainer, and on the other half, the explained. Try to match up the characteristics. For example, training wheels might be similar to having to have lots of supervision when you are young.

3 Write a paragraph discussing the explainer

Write a paragraph discussing the explainer. Start with a statement like "Growing up is like learning to ride a bike." Then explain the stages of learning to ride a bike.

4 Write a paragraph discussing the explained

Write a paragraph discussing the explained. Start with a statement that gives an overview of what the two share. In the example above, you might say something like "Growing up also involves getting greater and greater freedom as you become more confident." Then explain the steps of the explained in a way that parallels the explainer.

5 Discuss the differences

Discuss the differences. Sometimes there is a very important aspect of the explained that doesn't match up with the explainer. For example, in the above essay you eventually completely learn to ride a bike, but you never stop growing up and learning new things. You may want to draw attention to this important distinction.

About the Author

Isaiah David is a freelance writer and musician living in Portland, Ore. He has over five years experience as a professional writer and has been published on various online outlets. He holds a degree in creative writing from the University of Michigan.

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30 Writing Topics: Analogy

Ideas for a Paragraph, Essay, or Speech Developed With Analogies

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• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

An analogy is a kind of comparison that explains the unknown in terms of the known, the unfamiliar in terms of the familiar.

A good analogy can help your readers understand a complicated subject or view a common experience in a new way. Analogies can be used with other methods of development to explain a process , define a concept, narrate an event, or describe a person or place.

Analogy isn't a single form of writing. Rather, it's a tool for thinking about a subject, as these brief examples demonstrate:

• "Do you ever feel that getting up in the morning is like pulling yourself out of quicksand? . . ." (Jean Betschart, In Control , 2001)
• "Sailing a ship through a storm is . . . a good analogy for the conditions inside an organization during turbulent times, since not only will there be the external turbulence to deal with, but internal turbulence as well . . ." (Peter Lorange, Leading in Turbulent Times , 2010)
• "For some people, reading a good book is like a Calgon bubble bath — it takes you away. . . ." (Kris Carr, Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor , 2008)
• "Ants are so much like human beings as to be an embarrassment. They farm fungi, raise aphids as livestock, launch armies into wars, use chemical sprays to alarm and confuse enemies, capture slaves. . . ." (Lewis Thomas, "On Societies as Organisms," 1971)
• "To me, patching up a heart that'd had an attack was like changing out bald tires. They were worn and tired, just like an attack made the heart, but you couldn't just switch out one heart for another. . . ." (C. E. Murphy, Coyote Dreams , 2007)
• "Falling in love is like waking up with a cold — or more fittingly, like waking up with a fever. . . ." (William B. Irvine, On Desire , 2006)

British author Dorothy Sayers observed that analogous thinking is a key aspect of the writing process . A composition professor explains:

Analogy illustrates easily and to almost everyone how an "event" can become an "experience" through the adoption of what Miss [Dorothy] Sayers called an "as if" attitude. That is, by arbitrarily looking at an event in several different ways, "as if" if it were this sort of thing, a student can actually experience transformation from the inside. . . . The analogy functions both as a focus and a catalyst for "conversion" of event into experience. It also provides, in some instances not merely the To discover original analogies that can be explored in a paragraph , essay, or speech, apply the "as if" attitude to any one of the 30 topics listed below. In each case, ask yourself, "What is it like ?"

Thirty Topic Suggestions: Analogy

• Working at a fast-food restaurant
• Moving to a new neighborhood
• Starting a new job
• Quitting a job
• Watching an exciting movie
• Reading a good book
• Going into debt
• Getting out of debt
• Losing a close friend
• Leaving home for the first time
• Taking a difficult exam
• Making a speech
• Learning a new skill
• Gaining a new friend
• Responding to bad news
• Responding to good news
• Attending a new place of worship
• Dealing with success
• Dealing with failure
• Being in a car accident
• Falling in love
• Getting married
• Falling out of love
• Experiencing grief
• Experiencing joy
• Overcoming an addiction to drugs
• Watching a friend destroy himself (or herself)
• Getting up in the morning
• Resisting peer pressure
• Discovering a major in college
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