Analogy

Definition of Analogy

If you look up the word "analogy" in the dictionary, you'll see a definition like this:

This defines analogy generally, but let's look more closely into it. Analogy helps to explain a complicated idea. It does that by comparing it to something that's easier to understand.

If you tried to explain the immune system to someone who had never heard of it, they might get lost in all the terms. If you compared it to something else, though – like a castle with walls and soldiers to defend against attacks – your explanation could get through to them more easily. That's the function of analogy!

Types of Analogy

There are two main types of analogy used in writing: figurative analogy and literal analogy.

Fig. 1 - Figurative thinking is colorful.

Figurative Analogy

A figurative analogy compares things that aren't really similar, but have something specific in common. The function of figurative analogy is to enhance a description or illustrate a point. This is also the kind of analogy you would use in songs or poetry.

This line from the song "Magnet" (1972) by NRBQ uses a figurative analogy to explain its imagery. The singer and his crush aren't really similar to a magnet and wood. The way the lyric compares them shows how the singer can't attract his crush, the same way a magnet can't attract wood.

Literal Analogy

A literal analogy compares things that are truly similar. This kind of analogy can help an argument by explaining real similarities.

This literal analogy makes a comparison between human arms and bat wings, and then supports it by explaining why the two are similar.

What's the Difference Between a Simile, a Metaphor, and an Analogy?

It's very easy to mix up an analogy with two other kinds of comparison: simile and metaphor. Don't feel bad if you struggle to tell them apart. They're really similar! Here are the basic differences:

• Simile says one thing is like another.
• Metaphor says one thing is another.
• Analogy explains how one thing is like another.

The following example sentences demonstrate the differences:

Simile Examples

A simile compares two things by using the words "like" or "as". The word "simile" actually comes from the Latin word similis, which means "like." The word "similar" also shares the same root. Take a look at these example sentences.

Unlike analogies, these simile examples don't go into why those comparisons make sense. What made the bread like a brick? How did her eyes look so bright? The simile doesn't help explain the things it's comparing. It just compares them to add imagery and poetic flair.

Metaphor Examples

A metaphor compares two things by referring to one thing as another. The word "metaphor" comes from the Greek word metaphora, which means "transfer". The metaphor "transfers" the meaning of one thing to another.

The poetic metaphors in these example sentences make readers think about the comparisons. Just like the similes, these metaphors are different from analogies because they don't explain the relationships between the two things they're comparing. Comparing the eyes to windows makes readers think about looking through them into a person's soul. In A Christmas Carol (1843), Charles Dickens compares the character Scrooge to a "tight-fisted hand at the grindstone" to bring to mind hard work and harsh working environments.

Fig. 2 - Charles Dickens uses Ebenezer Scrooge in a metaphor.

Analogy Examples

An analogy can use simile or metaphor to compare two things and explain how they are similar, which makes it tricky to tell it apart from simile and metaphor. The key difference is that an analogy attempts to make an explanatory point.

The first part of this analogy is a simile: "My life is like an action movie." The second part explains how by showing what "my life" and "an action movie" have in common.

This explanation element turns a simile or metaphor into an analogy. In the example below from Hamilton (2015), the simile and metaphor examples turn into an analogy when we add the second element.

The explanation part of an analogy isn't always straightforward. Sometimes an analogy can state the relationship between two different things and leave it up to the reader to figure it out. The examples below show the relationships, but don't give a longer explanation afterward.

In the second example, "Joie was like a fish" would be a simple simile, but specifying that Joie at her new school was like a fish out of water shows the relationship between Joie and a fish. Even though there's no added explanation, the reader can still figure out what the analogy is trying to say.

¹ Lin Manuel Miranda, Hamilton (2015)

² NRBQ, Magnet (1972)