4.1 Read About
4.1E Creative Ways to Express Ideas: Simile and Metaphors
Did you complete the Poetry Reading Quiz? If not, go and complete the quiz now before continuing.
Why would an author want to compare two things that are different from one another?
If a writer really wants you to visualize the blue of the sea, he or she may compare the blue sea to sapphires. They are quite different, but share "blueness". Earlier in this course you learned:
Similes are a way to compare two things using the words like or as.
The blue sea gleamed like sapphires in the sun.
Why use these kinds of phrases?
- Similes, and other forms of figurative language, are like sunbeams through the forest that make readers go, “Oooooh! Aaaaaah!”
- They make writing more vivid and clear.
- They help to paint a picture with words that the reader can more easily see and feel.
Take a look at some similes in poetry. See how comparisons can be used to present feelings, images, or ideas in a fresh, often more powerful way!
Remember, a simile is a comparison using such words as "like" or "as". Here are some examples:
The villains looked as fierce as lions with their wild manes of hair and snarly looks.
The music burst like a pent-up flood.
Which of the following are similes?
The clouds are like galleons in the sky.
Ben’s temper was a volcano, ready to explode.
Her lips were as red as a wailing firetruck.
How do metaphors help us better understand the world? And, what makes a good metaphor?
Comparisons that are metaphors use the verb "to be". This means that one thing IS or WAS something else, or some things ARE or WERE something else. These clue words tell you that a comparison may be a metaphor.
Which of the following are metaphors?
The road was ribbon of moonlight.
The sky is a patchwork quilt.
The thunder roared like a mighty lion.
Simile and Metaphor in Music - Your Turn
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As you listen to the following songs, answer the questions in your Learning Guide |