How to Recognize Metaphors and Similes

Figurative language is part of what makes writing prose and poetry art. There is more to great literature than simply telling the story or laying down lines in poetry; the way it is told gives good writing more depth. Analyzing stories and poetry for that figurative language helps readers understand the author's purpose more clearly.

Two elements of figurative language are the metaphor and the simile. These two ideas are typically lumped together when discussing figurative language because they are very similar. Both are comparisons, showing how two or more things are similar. The only difference is in the language used-similes use the words "like" or "as" while metaphors do not. For instance, "she is as grumpy as a bear in the mornings" would be a simile while "she is a bear in the mornings" is a metaphor.

This difference helps the reader locate similes easily while metaphors may be more difficult. The purpose in differentiating the terms is their impact. Consider the bear simile used above. It is very specific in the relationship between the girl and the bear: the grumpiness. The metaphor, however, leaves more possibilities. Because most of us think of bears as frightening, dangerous creatures, we would make the assumption that the metaphor means we should leave the girl alone in the mornings. But it might not be that simple. Perhaps there is something in the slowness of movement, the lumbering gait, and the months of hibernation that instead (or in addition) imply fatigue. Or put the bear in the circus. Here we tend to create a different emotional response to the bear since it is amusing, perhaps seems talented and smart. In this context, the metaphor might mean that she juggles plates of bacon and eggs even though she seems out of place in the kitchen.

So how do you know what meaning to attach to a simile or metaphor if there is more than one possibility? You have to look at the rest of the writing and take the other elements of figurative writing into consideration. What do the other similes and metaphors indicate? Are there a lot of circus references? Does the paper consistently talk about her anger?

The most telling aspect is the theme of the story or poem. The theme is the main idea the author is trying to get across. Most of the figurative language is used to emphasize that theme. For example, if the author is indicating that people are constantly put in roles where they don't belong, the performing bear in the kitchen might be the most logical interpretation.

One excellent example of metaphor in poetry is Sylvia Plath's "Metaphors." It is nine lines long, nine syllables per line. Beginning with the statement "I'm a riddle," it contains phrases like "[I'm] an elephant, a ponderous house" and "this loaf's big with its yeasty rising." The entire poem is a metaphor for pregnancy. By themselves, these metaphors could be interpreted a number of different ways, but with the poem as a whole, especially the references to nine, indicate how they all fit together.

Metaphors and similes add richness to stories and poems but also help achieve the writer's purpose. Being able to find them and decide their purpose in the writing will help with understanding and appreciating good literature.