What is an Analogy?
An analogy, by definition, is a literary device that compares similarities between two unlikely things. These two things have a partial resemblance in their characteristics.
An analogy is different and more complex than a metaphor or a simile. Besides comparing two things, it also explains the similarity between them, which is its ultimate purpose. Here is an example of an analogy from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:
“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.”
In the above excerpt, Juliet presents an analogy between a rose and Romeo. She says that Romeo, whether a Montague or Capulet, will always be perfect and true as a person much like a rose, which is also true to its scent. The comparison here has an extended explanation and therefore is an analogy.
Types of Analogy
Predominantly, there are four types of analogies used in writing and speech: identical relationships, shared abstraction, literal analogy, and persuasive analogy.
- Identical relationships: In identical relationships, the analogies obtain the logic of “A is to B as C is to D,” where A, B, C, and D are dissimilar objects of comparison. The similarities shared between these are identical. Here is an example:
- Black is to white as on is to off.
The relationship shared between black and white is the same as that of a switch’s on-and-off movement.
- Shared abstraction: In shared abstraction, the analogy identifies a similar pattern between two unrelated topics and further clarifies this similarity. Here is an example:
- Life is like a box of chocolates.
Both chocolates in a box and life are random and unpredictable. This is the abstraction made based on similarities in the randomness of the two.
- Literal analogies: The literal analogy makes a direct comparison between objects, people, or events. This is useful while presenting an argument. An example of this is observed in the medical world. While testing mice in laboratories, scientists argue that humans and mice share similarities. If a medicine works on mice, it should work on humans (human testing phase) as well.
- Persuasive analogy: The fourth type is the persuasive analogy, which helps in persuading a reader or a listener. An example of this would be lawyers creating hypothetical situations for a jury in order to simplify their case arguments.
Analogies are used in everyday speech as well as writing. They are an important part of literature too.
Analogy Examples in Literature
Writers and poets often use analogies in their works to create imagery and deepen readers’ understanding; they also use literary devices to establish emotional connections. Here are some examples of analogy in literature:
George Orwell in his essay A Hanging uses analogy while describing the act of gripping a man:
“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.”
Orwell compares the act of gripping a man to a slippery fish. This is not a simile despite the usage of the word “like” because there’s an explanation of the similarity, which makes it an analogy.
Another example of analogy can be seen in Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous I Have a Dream speech. In the following quote, King Jr. makes an analogy between African-Americans’ anger and the summer heat:
“This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.”
The unquenchable nature of summer heat is compared to the frustrations felt by the Africans-Americans due to endless prejudice. The freedom is compared to the relief of the cool autumn breeze.
Writers use analogies like these to make abstract ideas more concrete, to make persuasive arguments, and to awaken readers’ minds.
Analogy vs. Metaphor vs. Simile
People often confuse similes and metaphors with analogies due to their similar nature. Both metaphors and similes are figures of speech, whereas an analogy is a rhetorical device. In expressing comparisons, similes, and metaphors may compare an object to something else. An analogy explains the similarities beyond just the comparison. The below table points out the differences clearly:
| Analogy | Simile | Metaphor |
| Rhetorical device | Figure of speech | Figure of speech |
| Explains a comparison in detail Example: Cuddling with Laura is like holding a teddy bear. | Compares an object by using the words “like” and “as” Example: Laura is as soft as a teddy bear. Laura is like a teddy bear” | The object of comparison is directly referred to as the object that shares the similarity Example: Laura is a teddy bear. |
| Elaborative and explanatory in nature, as it supports arguments | Short and simple in nature | Short and non-complex in nature |
| An analogy is neither a simile nor a metaphor. | All similes are metaphors. | All metaphors are not similes. |
How to Write an Effective Analogy
It is known that analogies are an efficient way to make unfamiliar concepts easy and familiar for readers. Here are some useful tips to consider while writing a good analogy:
- Creating simple imagery: Using simple language and easily relatable, common concepts while comparing helps readers understand the analogy.
- Inspiration: Analogies resonating with readers often inspire them. Using relatable, easy, and inspiring words in analogies creates an impression on readers’ minds.
- Gathering references/examples: References for analogies can be sourced from literature (books, plays, novels, and so on) as well as theatre. These sources help in constructing simple analogies.
- Observing surroundings: Observation is key when it comes to writing analogies. Surroundings are a source of inspiration, which helps in making analogies relatable. It could be children playing in a park or a kitchen; these environments showcase distinct patterns of relationship, which can be used while writing analogies.
People find it difficult to digest abstract ideas, but analogies make these concepts easier and more relatable. Analogies are catchy and used to put a point across; they promote meaningful learning and conceptual growth.
