Simile
A simile [sim-uh-lee] [ˈsɪm ə li] is used in writing as a way to compare two possibly unrelated things by using the words "like" or "as" to connect those things. The word simile comes from the Latin similis, meaning "similar" or "like". Similes are often used in literature, poetry, and music. They are also often used as figures of speech.
Examples:
- "I wandered lonely as a cloud," the title and opening line of William Wordsworth's poem. [1]
- "And I've been working like a dog," from The Beatles song "Hard Day's Night." [2]
- "I go hard like the boy from the 300," from the Lil Wayne song "Ice Cream Paint Job."[3]
Using similes helps to elevate readers' understanding of an idea through comparison. However, it is important to be cautious with overly obvious as that could make a poem dull. For instance, "clean as soap" is not a very strong comparison and does offer the reader a better understanding of the idea the author is trying to explain. Conversely, making a simile overly abstract could have a detrimental effect on the text as well. For example, "I'm as happy as a shoe" doesn't offer the reader increased understanding. If anything, it confuses the reader. [4]
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In Style: Toward Clarity and Grace
In Style: Toward Clarity and Grace, Joseph M. Williams states that similes and metaphors "invite us to look at two things in a new way," although a simile does so "less intensely, using like or as moderating the force of the comparison."
Metaphor vs. Simile
A metaphor implies that something equates to another, whereas a simile implies that they are similar. For example, a metaphor such as "a heart of stone" implies that the heart is actually made of stone. If you were to use the simile "a heart cold like stone" you're comparing a heart to the coldness of stone. Using the term like creates a subtle difference in meaning. While we know that the heart is not literally made of stone, the metaphor invokes a more intense and literal image, while the simile continues to only compare the two unlike things.
Concerns
The word "like" is often misused in common everyday communication. Often "like" is used as an additional word that tends to carry no meaning, but acts as a substitute sometimes for a pause (similar to "um" or "uh"). An example: "I knew the concept, but, like, I didn't understand it completely." In this sentence, like is not being used to set up a comparison and create a simile, rather the word is used as an abstract and unnecessary substitution.
Many similes are also cliches, a blight on the face of academic discourse. The phrase "blind as a bat" exemplifies the cliche-simile. Every cliche was original at one point historically. They are easily understood and effortlessly clever--hence why they became (and continue to be) so common in informal speech. Formal speech and writing, however, slight them because of their informality. They mark what is called hackneyed, or cliche-ridden writing. Inexperienced writers tend toward cliches to escape explaining their point explicitly and specifically.
- In Politics and the English Language
In George Orwell's essay Politics and the English Language, the idea of cliche similes is also addressed. He states, "Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print" as a rule of writing. Orwell also states in the essay, "By using stale metaphors, similes, and idioms, you save much mental effort... not only for your reader but for yourself." [5]
- In The Elements of Style
Another concern similar to the cliche of similes is that they are often overused. William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White bring this to mind in The Elements of Style where they state, "the simile is a common device and a useful one, but similes comping in rapid fire, one right on top of another, are more distracting than illuminating."
Common Similes
Using "as"
- Sly as a fox.
- Cold as ice.
- Wise as an owl.
- Busy as a bee.
Using "like"
- Eats like a bird.
- Drinks like a fish.
- Smokes like a chimney.
- Sings like an angel.
George Lakoff and Mark Johnson go into great detail defining the use of simile. They define a simile as "understanding and experiencing one kind of thing in terms of another". But how exactly are similes important in relation to Twitter? Twitter brings together the entire world onto one server. Throughout the world people are constantly tweeting ideas, thoughts, news, etc. The way people write in America contradicts the way people write in, lets say, Iraq. If Americans are reading the tweets that come out of Iraq, there is bound to be confusion. However, using similes will help. Asking someone to describe what they mean through the use of a simile can help highlight a similarity between the two cultures and eliminate confusion.
Example: Sandstorms are common throughout Iraq, while snowstorms are common throughout the US. A US citizen can help explain what a snowstorm is to an Iraqi by comparing it to a sandstorm.
References
"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"[6]
"Hard Days Night" Song Meanings [7]
"Politics and the English Language" [8]
"The Discovery of Poetry" [9]
