METAPHOR, SIMILE AND SYMBOL

Ø METAPHOR

Metaphor is a figure of speech containing an implied comparison, in which a word or phrase ordinarily and primarily used of one thing is applied to another. A metaphor is a comparison that shows how two different things are similar in one important way. For example, “Her home was a prison”

You may have often heard expressions such as “he drowned in a sea of grief” or “she is fishing in troubled waters,” or “success is a bastard as it has many fathers, and failure is an orphan, with no takers.” All these expressions have one thing in common: a situation is compared to a real thing, although the situation is not actually that particular thing. That’s meant metaphor is comparing the situation and the real thing. For example,

·         Sea of grief - How and where does one come across a sea that is filled not with water, but with grief?

·         Fishing - It is not used to mean that the person is actually fishing; it is an expression which is used to signify that the person is looking for something that is difficult to obtain.

·         Broken heart - Your heart is not literally broken into pieces; you just feel hurt and sad.

·         The light of my life - The person described by this metaphor isn't really providing physical light. He or she is just someone who brings happiness or joy.

·         He is the apple of my eye - There is, of course, no real apple in a person's eye. The "apple" is someone beloved and held dear.

·         Feel blue - No one actually ever feels like the color blue, although many people say they are "feeling blue" to mean they are feeling sad.

·         Inflamed your temper - The news inflamed your temper is not a situation where there is any actual fire or flames, it is just a situation where someone gets mad.

All of these expressions are examples of metaphors. They are juxtaposing an actual (literal) thing and a figurative thing in order to give more meaning to the figurative concept. To use the above examples, the literal expression in the phrase is “sea,” while “grief” is the figurative item.

Ø SIMILE

Simile are very close to metaphors but  simile is an analogy that compares one thing with another thing of a different kind. Simile is an expression that describes something by comparing it with something else using the word like or as. For example,

·         “cute as a kitten,” comparing the way someone looks to the way a kitten looks

·         “as busy as a bee” comparing someone’s level of energy to a fast-flying bee

·         "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get." comparing the uncertainty of life to the uncertainty of choosing a chocolate from a box

·         "as blind as a bat" indicating that the person cannot see any better than a bat can

Similes can be funny, serious, mean, or creative. For example,

·         She isn't as beautiful as her mother was in her youth

·         Your smile is like a flower

·         They fought like cats and dogs

·         You were as brave as a lion.

·         He is as funny as a barrel of monkeys.

·         This house is as clean as a whistle.

·         Your explanation is as clear as mud.

·        She is as thin as a toothpick.

The above patterns of simile are the most common, but there are others made with adverbs or words such as than an as if. For example,

·         He is larger than life

·         They ran as if for their lives

Different Between Metaphor And Simile

A simile is a more direct comparison of two things and a metaphor is an indirect comparison. If you look at a metaphor literally, it doesn’t make sense. When you realize the comparison that being made, then it makes sense. Similes are a little easier to understand. Here are examples of similes and metaphors: 

·         Simile: Your eyes are like sunshine. Metaphor: You are my sunshine.

·         Simile: He eats like a pig. Metaphor: He is a pig.

·         Simile: You are like a rock. Metaphor: You are a rock.

·         Simile: You are as happy as a clown. Metaphor: You are a clown.

·         Simile: He is as stubborn as a mule. Metaphor: He is a mule.

·         Simile: The world is like a stage. Metaphor: The world is a stage.

·         Simile: The noise is like music to my ears. Metaphor: The noise is music to my ears

·         Simile: Her heart is like gold. Metaphor: Her heart is gold.

·         Similie: Your thoughts are like a storm. Metaphor: Your thoughts are a storm

The uses of similes and metaphors can be confusing to people who are not fluent in a given language because they will interpret the words literally. Also, similes and metaphors can change from region to region, and even among groups of people, like musicians or teenagers. Sharing certain analogies can be a common bond in a social group.

Ø Symbols

 Symbols is something that represents something else by association, especially a material object used to represent something invisible or a abstract.
symbol is the use of a real object to refer to something spiritual or imagined or simply to evoke another reality. An action, person, place, word, or object can all have a symbolic meaning.  For example,

·         The dove is the symbol of peace

·         The eagle is a symbol of the united states

·         A weighing scale is a symbol of justice

In literature, symbolism can take many forms including:

1.       A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal meaning. 

2.       The actions of a character, word, action, or event that have a deeper meaning in the context of the whole story.  

A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses symbolism.  

·         It compares two things that are different and shows that they actually do have something in common.  

·         In a metaphor, there is an additional meaning to a word. This makes it an example of symbolism.

Examples of symbolism that take the form of metaphors include:

·         Time is money: This is symbolic because it warns you that when you spend your time, you are giving up the opportunity to be doing something else with that time (just as when you spend your money, you give up your chance to do something else with the money). Further, like money, time is not infinite. 

·         Life is a roller-coaster: This is symbolic because it indicates that there will be ups and downs in life that you have to weather.  

·         He is a rock: This is symbolic because it signifies that he is strong and dependable. 

·         Love is a jewel: This is symbolic because it suggests that love is rare and pressure. 

There are many kinds of symbolism, like :

v  Symbolism in colour

·         Black is used to represent death or evil.

·         White stands for life and purity.

·         Red can symbolize blood, passion, danger, or immoral character.

·         Purple is a royal color.

·         Yellow stands for violence or decay.

·         Blue represents peacefulness and calm

v  Symbolism of object

·         A chain can symbolize the coming together of two things.

·         A ladder can represent the relationship between heaven and earth or ascension.

·         A mirror can denote the sun but when it is broken, it can represent an unhappy union or a separation. 

v  Symbolism of flowers

·         Roses stand for romance.

·         Violets represent shyness.

·         Lilies stand for beauty and temptation.

·         Chrysanthemums represent perfection.