types of analogy essay

What Is Analogy and How to Use It in Your Essay

Table of contents

• 1 Types of Analogies
• 2 How Does Analogy Compare and Enhance Writing?
• 3 Metaphor and Simile: Cornerstones of Analogy (What This Greek Word Means?)
• 4 Crafting Effective Analogies Eight Steps Guide
• 5 Polishing Your Writing Style With Analogy Examples

Analogy is a literary technique that compares related or unrelated concepts, events, or notions to one another. Before writing an analogy, you should know that this concept can implement other literary devices like metaphors or allegories.

This article sets the stage for exploring the diverse landscape of analogical writing.

As you progress, you will also:

• Define examples of analogies and discover how they elevate your essay-writing skills.
• You will learn how analogy enhances essay writing and why it can help you improve your style.
• Examine and master the use of metaphor and simile.
• Master an eight-step PapersOwl guide to learn how to craft effective analogies quickly.

Before we proceed with practical examples and dive deep into theory, let’s start with the analogy definition.

Definition of Analogy in Writing

An analogy in essay writing represents a description that compares this to that by simplifying a certain idea. What you compare may have or may not have similarities. The use of comparative language is common for an analogy. One may encounter phrases like “experienced like an old dog” or “writing essays as a busy working bee.” An analogy general idea can be made between what a young child can do and what modern computers can generate. You can compare and persuade. Likewise, a  persuasive essay author can provide an analogy between a youngster and artificial intelligence.

Analogy’s purpose is to draw comparisons and a more detailed image with a clearer description. When an unknown concept is represented, literal analogies bring more clarity. When you are asked to create a connection between unrelated concepts, analogies become helpful. When you encounter metaphors, similes, or allegories, it indicates their practical use.

Types of Analogies

Speaking of types of analogies in writing, one should focus on various types of relations.

• Analogies that identify identical relationships . These analogy examples are most common as they talk about related concepts. It is like Los Angeles to the United States or guitar to piano. By learning how to write an analogy, one can see the relation between the same country or the musical instrument analogy.
• Analogies that identify shared abstraction. An analogy of figurative language stands for shared abstractions comparing something unrelated. It aims to find commonalities or patterns that make sense. Such cases can compare learning a foreign language to watering seeds that grow into flowers as time passes. Since it is the journey, not the destination, it helps to understand the abstractive language.
• A relation of a certain part to something whole analogy . It is a comparison of two sets of the same object or two parts of the same concept.
• Cause-and-effect relation analogy. It speaks of causes like the lack of water, which causes dehydration.
• Source to product. Think about the wood and the piano manufacturing common analogies.
• Object and a clear purpose. This one can talk about books and reading or water and swimming.
• Comparison of typical characteristics. If something is essential for an object, it becomes the source of the analogy between them.
• Coming from something general to specific parts. You can make an analogy by offering a good detective book by comparing two or more things.
• Metaphors and Allegories. These elements of an analogy in poetry add creativity and literary power, like being tired as a dog or feeling hungry like a wolf.

Tip: Using literal analogies can enhance your writing by building a strong connection between concepts. For example, when you need to provide a  literature analysis essay assignment, you use the creativity and imagination of the author by seeking analogies, among other things.

How Does Analogy Compare and Enhance Writing?

The most important element of using analogy examples in your essay is its enhancement. From clarity to a better description, it offers a mental bridge to the readers. If something in an essay is obscure or complex, an analogy makes it easier to understand demanding concepts.

• Creating Vivid Mental Images.

An analogy compares things and shows a way to help people understand things. When we compare raising children to building a house brick after brick, we receive an instant mental image. Similarly, adding creative writing to an essay helps to enhance the emotional state of things.

• Simplifying Complex Concepts.

Analogy examples help to simplify things that are overly complicated and demanding. It can be used in engineering or healthcare when a certain action is compared to what people know in practice. Likewise, comparing chemical aspects of work to cooking or culinary and human taste can help to simplify things. It is a practical example that gives people more accessible things they can easily connect with.

• Using Analogy to Influence and Convince.

An analogy compares marketing and business writing concepts when the main purpose is to motivate customers. The same is true when the author has to convince. Think about social or environmental causes where cause-and-effect rhetorical devices can become a turning point for readers. A good comparison with a logical argument can help inspire and simplify things, even in marketing. Due to their explanatory nature, analogies are common in  argumentative writing essays or school debates.

• Rhetorical Devices and Analogy.

Most analogies represent rhetorical devices, as we should use at least one type of comparison. Still, it does not work the same way as similes or metaphors that deal with resemblance aspects. A correct example will seek parallels between things that are not obvious or connected in one way or another. When used for an essay assignment, it will add rhetoric to help readers determine what common qualities can be established based on what is not apparent at first glance.

• Analogy in Different Genres.

When you are asked to use examples of analogies for a school essay, the trick is to determine the main purpose and use it correctly. It means that using an analogy in a detective story is not the same as using it for marketing purposes. The same applies when an author must classify different objects for analogy in literature. Likewise, a problem-and-solution analogy can be used in education or to deliver a similar concept. If we choose history books, we can provide old and modern analogies that help us understand historical concepts more clearly.

Metaphor and Simile: Cornerstones of Analogy (What This Greek Word Means?)

Metaphors and similes represent the main cornerstones of the use of an analogy. Take a quick look at several  academic essays related to social or literary subjects, and you will most definitely encounter at least one case. Writers use metaphors to compare something or use them for a specific effect. The tricky part is that a simile is a special sub-category of a metaphor, which shows that most similes are parts of metaphors, yet not the other way around. Let’s identify each case!

A metaphor (from the Greek word “to transfer”) represents a figure of speech that aims to compare things to achieve a specific rhetorical effect. A good example would be saying that the world is a stage or that people in love represent an endless ocean of love. Of course, metaphors are not meant to be taken literally!

A typical simile will create a different type of comparison by implementing the words “like” and “as” in writing. The most famous example of a simile in writing would be the phrase “Life is a beach.” One can spot it by using a direct comparison. It must be used with caution or have an additional explanation. Remember that examples of an analogy should show and explain things, which is why a simile or a metaphor can be used.

• Identifying the Main Differences.

Summing up regarding distinctions for writing analogies, we receive the following five rules:

• A simile aims to show that something is like some other object.
• A metaphor literary device uses poetical writing to say something is another thing.
• The purpose of analogy is to offer an additional explanatory point, not merely show.
• Metaphors and similes can work for an enhancement effect when using an analogy in essay writing.
• A simile is a special subgenre of metaphors, yet not all metaphors are similes.

Crafting Effective Analogies Eight Steps Guide

Making an analogy efficient and fitting always comes down to the practical clarity of a certain description. Depending on the genre, start by analyzing your target audience to make things more accessible. If there’s a concept, think about the main elements and see what is most relevant.

• Analyze the Target Concept. Start with a proper analysis of the main concept that you outline in your essay. If you are dealing with medical practices, do not create analogies that do not fit. Keep within high morals and be sensitive. If you are composing a reflective essay, some types of analogy can be related to your past or certain experiences from your life. These should help people understand you in a better way.
• Choosing the Concept for Explanation . When you seek diverse types of analogies, think about a concept that can be used for explanatory purposes. It means that you may use historical books or comparisons to certain movies or events that have taken place before. For example, you may consider comparing a business deal to Boston’s Tea Ceremony or woodworking to learning how to play guitar well.
• Highlight Relevant Similarities. Although analogies in literature are always about seeking similarities, not all will remain clear to your readers. Therefore, one should focus on relevant similarities and highlight them the best way you can. If you state that our world is like a theater where all of us are merely actors, it should not come out of the blue but have an explanation as you quote William Shakespeare’s words.
• Forming the Basis of the Analogy. Before you add it to your essay, think about making an introduction. An analogy never comes on its own because it requires a special paragraph that highlights it and leads to an emotional climax. Once you have got what is an example of an analogy, add more analytical writing or an explanatory sentence to help your readers see your point more clearly.
• Illustrating the Analogy with Real-World Situations. An analogy sentence that does not make sense will not work. The trick is to help people connect and see how your example can be used in practice. When you say that working at Tesla corporation was like surviving Arizona’s heatwave, most Americans will be able to relate to that.
• Adapting the Analogy to Audience Knowledge. When your analogy is overly complex and relates to engineering or law essay writing, you may not achieve success with that. Remember to adapt your comparison to the level of your target audience. The key is to make things accessible and ensure that you are understood.
• Ensuring Natural Fit and Relevance. It is best to use your analogy in the middle of a paragraph. This way, you can add a special introduction and make it fit naturally. It should fit within a relevant paragraph, making it apparent to avoid using analogies as the final sentence. More space is essential since you must add transition words in an essay.
• Weaving Analogies into the Narrative. Use an analogy to show and explain a certain concept or idea. Use the same narrative tone if your essay is written this way. Adjust your writing accordingly if you use an explanatory or argumentative tone.

Polishing Your Writing Style With Analogy Examples

Coming up with a good analogy may seem challenging, especially when you must get the essay done at the last minute or when you are unsure about the emotional power of your writing. Using an analogy in writing helps you improve things and add clarity, even to the most complex subjects. Refer to the eight-step writing guide above before you start, and don’t forget to double-check existing analogy types! Lastly, remember the importance of balancing active and passive voice as you explain and use various literary devices to enhance your writing further.

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Definition of Analogy

Common examples of analogy, famous examples of analogy, examples of analogy by thomas carlyle, difference between analogy, metaphor, and simile.

Analogy, simile, and metaphor are all useful and related literary devices for writers to make comparisons. The intention of these devices and their wording is what differentiates them from each other.

Writing Analogy

Writers benefit from incorporating analogies into their work for the purpose of explaining and connecting ideas for their readers. It’s important for writers to understand that an effective analogy is one in which the comparison is logical and easily understood. An analogy that made an unreasonable or illogical comparison would be an improper use of the literary device.

Types of Analogy: Literal and Figurative

Types of analogy in writing, use of analogy in sentences, examples of analogy in literature, example 1: there is no frigate like a book by emily dickinson.

There is No Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away Nor any Coursers like a Page Of prancing Poetry – This Traverse may the poorest take Without oppress of Toll – How frugal is the Chariot That bears the Human Soul –

Example 2: Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Example 3: A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers by Henry David Thoreau

This world is but a canvas to our imaginations.

Synonyms of Analogy

Related posts:, post navigation.

• Literary Terms
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to write an Analogy

I. What is an Analogy?

An analogy is a literary technique in which two unrelated objects are compared for their shared qualities. Unlike a simile or a metaphor, an analogy is not a figure of speech, though the three are often quite similar. Instead, analogies are strong rhetorical devices used to make rational arguments and support ideas by showing connections and comparisons between dissimilar things.

II. Examples of Analogy

Analogies are commonly used to show important comparisons and make solid arguments. Here are some examples:

Every choice you make is like spinning the wheel of fortune—sometimes you will get the result that you desire, while other times you will end up with something you always hoped to avoid.

Raising children requires the same dedication you would give to a garden. Nurture them, feed them, introduce them to both light and dark, and have patience; and soon you will see them grow into blooming wonders.

In the first example, the writer could have said “Every choice has a different consequence.” But like similes, analogies make associations between things that wouldn’t usually be compared (like choices to wheels of fortune and children to gardens). These comparisons create better descriptions and sensory images in the minds of readers. On the other hand, analogies are more elaborate and informational than similes or metaphors , providing support for the comparisons made rather than just stating them as simple truths. As you can see, the second example explains how children and gardens have similar qualities because they require similar growing conditions.

Photosynthesis does for plants what digesting food does for animals. It is the process that lets them convert nutrients into the fuel needed to grow and develop. 

You may also see analogies that compare relationships rather than individual things. But the analogy still works in the same way; it explains how the relationships share a similar quality of transforming nutrients.

III. Types of Analogy

A. literal analogy.

In a literal analogy, you are saying that one thing really is similar to another. This is the kind of analogy that you would draw if you wanted to make an argument  or persuasion. For example, when scientists test a new medicine on laboratory mice, they are arguing that mice and humans really are similar in medically significant ways. Therefore, as the argument goes, if a medicine works on mice, it should also work on humans (or at least it’s ready for human testing).

b. Figurative Analogy

In a figurative analogy, you’re simply drawing a comparison between two unrelated things to highlight a certain characteristic; you’re not necessarily saying that the things are truly similar .  Take, for example, the wheel of fortune example. If life were truly similar to a wheel of fortune you would have a lot less control over our choices and the consequences would be unpredictable.

IV. The Importance of Analogy

As mentioned, analogies are used to make logical arguments and comparisons. Here are a few ways writers might use analogies:

a. Make abstract ideas more concrete

There are some people – like teachers, professors, and technical writers – who explain difficult ideas for a living. It’s a tough job! One way to make it easier is to draw analogies to things your readers or students are already familiar with. For example, a biology teacher might explain the immune system by saying, “What policemen do in a town, white blood cells do inside the body.”

b. Add depth and feeling to an image

Consider this example:

 She felt like a raft floating in the middle of an dark, endless ocean. Like her, the raft was was floating along, alone, worn out, and unable to reach a steady place in which to settle.

Notice what a powerful image this descriptions brings to mind. Without the analogy, the author would just be saying “She was lonely and exhausted.” How boring! The analogy makes her emotions seem dark and overwhelming – just as the ocean at night.

c. Making a persuasive argument

Obviously, this is rare in poetry and fiction, where making an argument isn’t the point. But in essays , literary analysis, and many other fields, persuasion is the name of the game – and analogy can be a powerful tool for that purpose. It’s especially useful when you want to show the flawed reasoning in another person’s argument:

Person A : Lots of history’s dictators started as soldiers; therefore, soldiers should never become politicians because they’ll end up as dictators.

Person B : But that doesn’t make sense! It’s like saying “lots of alcoholics started out by drinking milk; therefore no one should ever drink milk.” Just as there are many milk-drinkers who don’t become alcoholics, there are also many soldiers who don’t become dictators .

Notice how Person B has employed a clever analogy to show that Person A is making a faulty argument.

V. Examples of Analogy in Literature

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. (George Orwell, A Hanging)

In this passage, Orwell is describing the crowd’s reaction to seeing a man hanged. One interpretation of the analogies is that they create a supernatural feeling by subtly suggesting the possibility that the dead man may simply disappear, or may suddenly come back to life.

What gunpowder did for war the printing press has done for the mind. (Wendell Phillips, Public Opinion on the Abolition Question)

Gunpowder revolutionized war and brought down old hierarchies and strategies – after the introduction of the gun, war would never be the same. Similarly, the invention of the printing press allowed books and newspapers to reach vast audiences that otherwise had no access to the written word. This revolutionized education and made possible an era of widespread literacy and democratic thought.

“Evolution is a blind giant who rolls a snowball down a hill. The ball is made of flakes—circumstances. They contribute to the mass without knowing it. They adhere without intention, and without foreseeing what is to result. When they see the result they marvel at the monster ball and wonder how the contriving of it came to be originally thought out and planned. Whereas there was no such planning, there was only a law: the ball once started, all the circumstances that happened to lie in its path would help to build it, in spite of themselves.” (Mark Twain, Tales of Wonder)

Here, Twain uses an analogy to speak about evolution, comparing it to a giant rolling a snowball down the hill–the results are quite unpredictable, but inevitable.

VI. Examples of Analogy in Pop Culture

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); “My momma always said “life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get!” (Forrest Gump)

Here, Forrest Gump shares a very memorable analogy, beginning with the simile “life was like a box of chocolates.” But, this is an analogy because it gives further support and explanation for the comparison, showing that life has many choices and surprises, just like a box of chocolate.

Oh, he ‘loved to laugh?’ Well, that doesn’t tell you anything! That’s like saying , ‘He hungered for food! (Patton Oswald, Obituaries)

This is a humorous version of argument by analogy. Oswald, a standup comedian, is poking fun at articles about him by comparing that statement to something obviously commonplace, showing that the argument that he “loved to laugh” is about as strong as saying he gets hungry for food.

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. (Quote by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in The Leader’s Digest by Jim Clemmer, 2003)

In this quote, the groundbreaking psychiatrist Elizabeth Kübler-Ross (well-known for her 5 Stages of Grief) gives an analogy about the human condition, saying that people, like stained-glass, work differently in situations of light and dark.

VII. Related Terms

People often confuse analogies with similes and metaphors, which are both figures of speech. However, they are actually very different, specifically because an analogy is a rhetorical device, not a figure of speech. While similes and metaphors are generally quite short and simple, analogies are more elaborate and explanatory, because they support arguments.

A  figure of speech that makes comparisons using explicit “comparing” words such as like or as. So when you see like or as underlined in this article, you know it’s an example of a simile.

“What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is like the sun!”

“…It is the East, and Juliet is as radiant as the sun!”

A figure of speech where unrelated things are compared – basically, it’s just a simile with the “like” or “as” removed.

“What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!” (William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)

It’s important to remember that a metaphor is not a kind of analogy – it’s a different figure of speech altogether. However, it’s very similar to analogy in that they both depend on some kind of similarity between two different objects.

Example of an analogy versus simile and metaphor:

Simile : Life is like a garden.

Metaphor : Life is a garden.

Analogy: Life is just like a garden–it is ever growing and changing, needing care and dedication, and always filled with beautiful surprises.

Again, it’s important to remember that metaphors and similes are figures of speech, while analogies are NOT. However, they are very similar to analogies in that they both depend on some kind of similarity between two different objects.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

• Ask LitCharts AI
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Analogy Definition

What is an analogy? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

An analogy is a comparison that aims to explain a thing or idea by likening it to something else. For example, a career coach might say, "Being the successful boss or CEO of a company is like being an orchestra conductor: just as the conductor needs to stand up front where everyone— even the musicians in the back row—can see him, a good CEO needs to make sure he or she is visible and available to all of the company's employees." The career coach is not saying that CEOs are exactly like orchestra conductors in every way. Rather, comparing CEOs to conductors through analogy allows the coach to articulate an important leadership quality in a memorable way.

Some additional key details about analogies:

• Analogy has different meanings in the context of different academic fields. For instance, someone studying logic would say that analogy is "an inference that, if two things are similar in some ways, they must also be alike in others." A cognitive scientist or a lawyer would have a different definition altogether. Despite the term's broad usage, this guide will focus solely on the literary definition of analogy summarized above.
• Analogy is closely related to metaphor and simile . Sources vary in how they define the relationship between these terms, but most can agree that metaphor and simile are types of analogy.

Analogy Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce analogy: uh- nal -oh-jee

Analogy Explained

Developing a richer understanding of one thing by comparing it to another is the basic idea behind analogy. Far more than simply an illustrative or explanatory technique, analogies are fundamental to the way people think. The writer Douglas Hofstadter even went so far as to say that analogy is "the core of cognition," suggesting that the most fundamental tool we have for understanding the world is the ability to make comparisons between things.

What Makes an Analogy

Analogies can be broken down into two elements: the target and the source . The target is the unknown concept—the thing that the analogy seeks to explain—while the source (also referred to as the analog ) is the known concept, or the thing used to explain the target.

For example, if you've ever seen the Disney movie Shrek , you may remember the phrase "ogres are like onions." In a memorable scene, the ogre (Shrek) tries to explain something about the true nature of ogres to his non-ogre friend by saying:

"Ogres are like onions... Onions have layers. Ogres have layers. You get it? We both have layers."

Shrek creates an analogy comparing the source (something familiar and known, in this case an onion) to the target (something mysterious and unknown, in this case ogres). His goal is to reveal something about ogres (the unfamiliar target ) by showing that he's not so different from onions (the familiar source ) . Not all analogies are as cut-and-dry as this one, but Shrek's comparison is a good example of the basic structure of analogies. Keep in mind, it's perfectly acceptable to analyze analogies without talking about targets and sources—but these terms can be helpful in understanding the structure of analogies, especially with more complicated examples.

Analogy, Metaphor, and Simile

Analogy, metaphor and simile are all similar in that they all have to do with making comparisons. But there's some debate about the precise nature of the relationship between these three concepts. There are two main camps in this debate:

• The first camp believes that metaphor and simile are types of analogies.
• The second camp believes that metaphor and simile are not types of analogies, but distinct tools that can be used to articulate analogy.

Camp 1: Metaphors and Similes are Types of Analogies

Members of this camp see analogies as a broader category into which metaphors and similes fit. They would say that metaphors are implicit analogies, while similes are explicit analogies. In other words, metaphors implicitly perform the function of analogy—pointing out similarities between two different things—by saying that something is something else. For example, "Juliet is the sun." People in the first camp would argue that the metaphor "Juliet is the sun" is a type of analogy because it operates by making an implicit comparison, such as "Juliet and the sun are similar; just like the sun, Juliet is radiant and fills Romeo's days with light." Meanwhile, first-campers would say that the simile "Juliet is like the sun" is also a type of analogy because it draws a comparison explicitly by saying that something is like something else in some respect: "Juliet is beautiful like the sun."

Camp 2: Metaphors and Similes are Tools for Making Analogies

The second camp, however, would say that the metaphor "Juliet is the sun" does not count as analogy. Instead, they would say that the metaphor is being used as a tool to support the distinct and overarching analogy between a woman and the sun. Similarly, second-campers would say that the sentence "Juliet is beautiful like the sun" is a simile which supports the overall analogy comparing Juliet to a celestial body.

The second camp argues that analogy is distinct from metaphors and similes. It argues that analogy is a rational type of argument or explanation—that analogy is the actual conceptual comparison being made. In contrast, it argues that metaphor and simile are figures of speech —that is, they are literary devices or tools whose purpose is to describe something with figurative language rather than to explain or argue something.

However, this distinction can start to seem fuzzy when you start to ask where "describing" ends and "explaining" begins. When Romeo says that "Juliet is the sun," isn't he—in addition to describing her beauty— e xplaining to the reader his love for Juliet by comparing it to the sun?

Summing up the Camp 1 and Camp 2 Debate

It's not necessarily the case that one camp's view is better or more proper than the other, but the first camp's definition of the relationship between analogy, metaphor, and simile is more common—if only because it's not as rigid as the second camp's definition. That said, you only need to know that there are these competing definitions, and then be able to say why you think a given example is an analogy, simile, or metaphor based on the definition you think best fits each term.

Analogy Examples

Analogy in shakespeare's romeo and juliet.

In this example from Act 2 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet , Juliet Capulet puzzles over the main obstacle in her love for Romeo Montague: the Capulet and Montague families are rivals. She creates an analogy comparing Romeo to a rose, reasoning that just as the "sweetness" or loveliness of a rose is entirely independent of its name, the "perfection" she sees in Romeo is independent of—and not at all compromised by— his name and family:

’Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! 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 call’d, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title.

Analogy in Shakespeare's As You Like It

The melancholy character Jaques crafts the following analogy in Act 2 Scene 7 of As You Like It . In one of the most famous lines from all of Shakespeare, Jaques compares the world to stage, and each individual to an actor playing a part that changes with age.

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth...

Jaques concludes his speech by describing the remaining three "parts" or "seven ages": those of the Just Leader, The Silly Old Man who thinks he's still young, and the Truly Old Man who's as helpless as a baby. Using this analogy to compare "the world" to "a stage," and by extension "life" to "a play," allows Jaques to point out what he sees as a fundamental aspect of both real and theatrical experience: performance. These lines function as a particularly powerful analogy when read aloud in the theater, because they simultaneously demand that audience members confront the ways in which they're performing their own lives, remind them of their own mortality, and collapse the traditional boundary between actors on the stage and the audience watching them.

Analogy in Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

In Chapter 26 of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance , the narrator attempts to describe his philosophical world view by drawing an analogy between knowledge and a train.

The narrator's concept of "Quality" refers to a holistic, balanced manner of existing in the world. The narrator believes that in modern life, we often fail to achieve Quality because we create an artificial distinction between an artistic, "Romantic" way of living life—being "in the moment," not stopping to analyze or reflect on things—and a scientific, "Classical" way of living life which involves analyzing how pragmatic things (like technology) work. Through the analogy of the Train, the narrator argues that both the Classical and Romantic modes of thought are necessary to living a balanced life in pursuit of Quality:

In my mind now is an image of a huge, long railroad train...In terms of the analogy, Classic Knowledge, the knowledge taught by the Church of Reason, is the engine and all the boxcars. All of them and everything that’s in them. If you subdivide the train into parts you will find no Romantic Knowledge anywhere. And unless you’re careful it’s easy to make the presumption that’s all the train there is. This isn’t because Romantic Knowledge is non-existent or even unimportant. It’s just that so far the definition of the train is static and purposeless...The real train of knowledge isn’t a static entity that can be stopped and subdivided. It’s always going somewhere. On a track called Quality...Romantic reality is the cutting edge of experience. It’s the leading edge of the train of knowledge that keeps the whole train on the track... The leading edge is where absolutely all the action is. The leading edge contains all the infinite possibilities of the future. It contains all the history of the past. Where else could they be contained?...At the leading edge there are no subjects. No objects, only the track of Quality ahead, and if you have no formal way of evaluating, no way of acknowledging this Quality, then the train has no way of knowing where to go.

Just as a train can't exist without its engine, its boxcars, or its lead locomotive, so too—the narrator argues—Quality cannot be pursued without applying both Classical and Romantic knowledge in a balanced way. This is a long and, obviously, complex example of analogy.

Analogy in Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger

The White Tiger tells the story of Balram Halwai, a self-made entrepreneur who (somewhat illegally) works his way up from the bottom rungs of the social ladder in Indian society. In Chapter 5, Balram introduces the analogy of the Rooster Coop to explain how members of the Indian elite repress the poor:

The greatest thing to come out of this country in the ten thousand years of its history is the Rooster Coop. Go to Old Delhi, behind the Jama Masjid, and look at the way they keep chickens there in the market. Hundreds of pale hens and brightly coloured roosters, stuffed tightly into wire-mesh cages, packed as tightly as worms in a belly, pecking each other and shitting on each other, jostling just for breathing space; the whole cage giving off a horrible stench – the stench of terrified, feathered flesh. On the wooden desk above this coop sits a grinning young butcher, showing off the flesh and organs of a recently chopped-up chicken, still oleaginous with a coating of dark blood. The roosters in the coop smell the blood from above. They see the organs of their brothers lying around them. They know they’re next. Yet they do not rebel. They do not try to get out of the coop. The very same thing is done with human beings in this country.

Balram uses the concrete, ordinary image of a rooster coop to explain the invisible but cruel forces constraining India's poor from making social progress. Not only does he use the rooster coop as an analog for his country, but he also uses it to justify his own behavior throughout the novel.

Why Do Writers Use Analogies?

Writers, and people in general, use analogies for a wide variety of reasons:

• To explain a new, unfamiliar concept in relatable and easy-to-understand terms.
• To help the reader make a new, insightful connection between two different entities.
• To appeal to the reader's sense of reason or logic when proving a point.

The anthropologist Mark Nichter once said (using an analogy) that "a good analogy is like a plow which can prepare a population's field of associations for the planting of a new idea." In other words, analogies pull together information and knowledge we have already stored to create novel combinations, which become the foundation for new ideas.

Other Helpful Analogy Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Analogy: A very wide-ranging yet thorough explanation of analogy and its varied uses across disciplines.
• The Dictionary Definition of Analogy: A basic definition and etymology of the term—it comes from the Greek analogia meaning "proportion."
• Analogy in action: An interesting article from Entrepreneur Magazine entitled, "4 Leadership Lessons Learned From Orchestra Conductors."
• Analogy on Youtube: The "Ogres are like Onions" scene from Disney's Shrek .

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What Is Analogy in Writing?

• 3-minute read
• 3rd June 2023

An analogy is a rhetorical device we use to compare two things based on a quality they share. Analogy is a useful writing technique because it can help explain complex concepts in a simple, memorable way. Check out our guide below on how to use analogies in your writing.

What Is Analogy?

Analogy is a form of simile in which you state that one thing is like something else. For example, Stepping out into the summer heat felt like standing in front of an oven is a simile.

Analogies take a simile to the next level by explaining why something is like something else. Usually, we use an analogy to compare two things that are seemingly unrelated. Take this famous example from the film Forrest Gump :

Here, Forrest compares life with a box of chocolates, and then he goes on to explain the point behind the comparison. The listener can imagine a box of chocolates, each with a different filling, and connect it with the uncertainties, twists, and turns of life.

Why Are Analogies Useful?

An analogy takes two things that are unlike and points out something that they have in common. Often, we use analogies to explain an unfamiliar or complex concept by linking it with something familiar and easy to visualize:

Analogies are also useful for evoking imagery and making a point in a more memorable way. Sure, you can say that someone is clumsy, but using an analogy to do so crafts a more vivid picture:

Word Analogies

Word or verbal analogies are specific types of analogies that compare one kind of relationship with another. The possibilities are endless with word analogies, which we can use in many contexts. For example:

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Here, two unconnected relationships are compared. To explain how pillows add a necessary decorative touch to a couch, this analogy refers to the role that hot fudge plays in an ice cream sundae.

Summary: Analogies in Writing

Analogy is a useful writing technique that you can use to make certain concepts easier to understand and/or to evoke imagery that brings your writing to life. We’d love to see how you put this device into practice! Send us a copy of your work, and we’ll ensure that it has perfect grammar, spelling, word choice, and more. Try us out for free today!

Analogy FAQs

What is the difference between an analogy and a simile.

A simile compares two things using like or as . An analogy takes similes a step further by explaining why the two things are alike.

Do analogies appear only in creative writing?

We can use analogies in many contexts, including academic, scientific, and formal writing. They’re useful in scientific writing to compare complex ideas with familiar, simple concepts.

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What Is an Analogy?

Analogies are a type of figurative language that helps enhance understanding by comparing an unfamiliar topic with a familiar one.

What Are Analogies?

An analogy is a figure of speech that explains something unfamiliar by relating it to something familiar.

• “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” —Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

If your writing is a dirty window your readers can’t see through, then analogies are the glass cleaners that clear everything up.

Below, we’ll elaborate on what an analogy is and how it can be a useful rhetorical device.

Analogies: Explanation and Examples

An analogy is a figure of speech that helps your readers understand something that would otherwise be difficult to comprehend. There are different types of analogies, but most work by comparing two unrelated things or ideas.

Here’s an example of an analogy that is often attributed to Albert Einstein:

You see, wire telegraph is kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat.

This analogy makes a complex subject—the way telegraph and radio work—easier to understand by comparing it to the meow of a (long) cat.

Different Types of Analogies

The two most common types of analogies are one that conveys an identical relationship and another that identifies a shared abstraction.

Identical Relationship

The formula for this type of analogy is: A is to B as C is to D.

A dog is to a cat as sunshine is to rain.

This analogy expresses the comparable relationship between a dog and cat, sunshine and rain: they’re considered opposites.

Shared Abstraction

This type of analogy is one that brings clarity by comparing two unrelated topics and identifying a similar idea, pattern, or attribute.

Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.

This famous analogy draws a parallel between eating a box of chocolates and life: Sometimes you don’t know which chocolate you’re going to eat, like in life, in which you don’t know what’s going to happen to you.

This analogy starts with a simile , but its last sentence, which adds further explanation, is what makes it an analogy . We’ll elaborate below.

Analogies, Similes, and Metaphors: What’s The Difference?

Analogies, similes, and metaphors are all similar figures of speech that make comparisons. Similes and metaphors can be used to make an analogy . The difference between them is that analogies take the comparison a step further by adding an explanation.

• Simile: She is like the sun.
• Metaphor: She is my sun.
• Analogy: “He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking.” —Leo Tolstoy (Anna Karenina)

How To Write an Analogy

Analogies are a powerful tool that can enhance your writing by making things that are usually obscure and complex easier to understand.

If you’re writing about something that may be considered uncommon to your readers, use analogies to make it easier to comprehend. A good analogy:

• Draws a clear parallel between the familiar and unfamiliar topic or idea.
• Elaborates on the comparison to enhance understanding.

Another equally powerful tool that can strengthen your writing is LanguageTool . This advanced and multilingual spelling and grammar checker not only corrects all types of errors, but can help rephrase your sentences to be more formal, fluent, and even shorter.

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Analogy in Writing (Definition, How To Write + Examples)

What is an analogy?

An analogy is a figurative of speech that allows the writer to express one thing by comparing it to another apparently unrelated thing. When your high school teacher said, “Camels are the ships of the desert”, they did not mean camels are ships. They meant camels do the same job as a ship does in the sea – transportation.

Analogy in writing helps connect familiar things to unfamiliar things and this in turn helps the reader understand the scenario better. An analogy compares and relates to two objects at once and forms a meaningful connection that helps explain a point better.

Analogies use other literary devices like similes and metaphors to form comparisons. It helps by connecting an unfamiliar thing to a familiar thing fo the ease of understanding.

The word analogies come from the ancient Greek word  analogos  which means ‘proportionate’.

What are the types of analogy?

There are two types of analogy that we understand: identical relationships, and abstract concepts.

Identical Relationship

Dark is to light as on is to off.

You have often come across this kind of sentence. This is what is called forming identical relationships. It is where one idea is paralleled to another idea of the same pattern. Dark and light here have the same relation as on and off in the above sentence.

Most identical relationships have the sentence pattern of ‘A is to B as C is to D’.

• Airplane is to sky as ship is to sea.
• Soil is to plant as house is to human.

At times identical analogies can be extended in a way to express the intense relationship two things of people share. For example, “Books are to Sarah as water is to plant”, or “Chewing bubble gum is to Marty as drinking is to drunkards.” These are used to exaggerate and express the relation between two things or people or any habits they have.

Abstract Concept

Abstract concept analogies compares two unrelated things that have a similar pattern. For example, raising children and gardening are often compared. We have come across the saying that “ Raising children is like gardening. ” They share this analogy because both of these tasks require tending, patience ans a lot of care.

Let us take another example. “ Recovering lost money is like finding needle in a haystack .” This sentence connects recovering lost money and finding needle in a stack of hay because both of these activities bear unfruitful results and are not worth wasting time on.

This kind of analogy helps in concretizing abstract ideas by connecting them to something tangible and graspable by the human mind.

Examples of Analogy in Literature

Some analogy examples from great literature are as follows:

Romeo and Juliet , William Shakespeare

“ 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. “

‘ A Hanging ’, George Orwell

“ 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. “

Kamand Kojouri

“ Reading poetry is like undressing before a bath. You don’t undress out of fear that your clothes will become wet. You undress because you want the water to touch you. You want to completely immerse yourself in the feeling of the water and to emerge anew. “

Macbeth , William Shakespeare

“ Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing. “

Let Me Count the Ways , Peter De Vries

“ If you want my final opinion on the mystery of life and all that, I can give it to you in a nutshell. The universe is like a safe to which there is a combination. But the combination is locked up in the safe. “

Sootfall and Fallout , EB White

“A nation wearing atomic armor is like a knight whose armor has grown so heavy he is immobilized; he can hardly walk, hardly sit his horse, hardly think, hardly breathe. The H-bomb is an extremely effective deterrent to war, but it has little virtue as a weapon of war, because it would leave the world uninhabitable. “

‘ There is no frigate like a book ’, Emily Dickinson

“ There is no frigate like a book

To take us lands away,

Nor any coursers like a page

Of prancing poetry.

This traverse may the poorest take

Without oppress of toll;

How frugal is the chariot

That bears a human soul!”

‘ Night Clouds ’ , Amy Lowell

“ The white mares of the moon rush along the sky

Beating their golden hoofs upon the glass Heavens;

The white mares of the moon are all standing on their hind legs

Pawing at the green porcelain doors of the remote Heavens. “

Why is an analogy used in writing?

Like every literary device, an analogy is used in literature as a tool to express something better. Analogies should be used to familiarize your audience with complicated ideas or inspire them with big ones.

Analogy also helps writers create a vivid picture of the deeper thought they are going for and this in turn better engages the reader’s mind.

How to use analogies in your writing?

Analogies are everywhere. We use verbal analogies in everyday speech, often with the intention of expressing a point. A good analogy improves the quality of writing. And writing a good analogy can be achieved by many ways. Think of it like a logical argument, especially i case of identical analogies. For abstract idea, find a familiar pattern that fits your writing. Let us understand in detail.

• Opting for  commonly understood things  can familiarize the reader with what you are trying to express.
• Try to use the  compare and contrast  technique to make your analogies more powerful.
• Understand what type of figurative language would complement your  audience .
• An effective analogy is simple, easy to understand, and  inspires   your readers .

Examples of Analogies

Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall.

Living my life like there is no tomorrow.

“Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.”  ( Forrest Gump )

A puppy is to a dog as a kitten is to a cat.

A hammer is to nail as a master is to a butler.

The book was a roller coaster of emotions.

“Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.”  (Don Marquis)

A car is to me as a ship is to a sailor.

“Pupils are more like oysters than sausages. The job of teaching is not to stuff them and then seal them up, but to help them open and reveal the riches within. There are pearls in each of us, if only we knew how to cultivate them with ardor and persistence.”  (Sydney J. Harris,  What True Education Should Do )

“Dumb gorgeous people should not be allowed to use literature when competing in the pick-up pool. It’s like bald people wearing hats.”  ( Broken Hearts Club )

• Analogy is a literary device in the English language that compares and contrasts closely related things together or things that share the same relationship or pattern.
• Analogies are of two types: identical and abstract. Identical analogies compare two pairs of things that share similar relationships. Abstract analogies compare two things that same the same pattern or attribute.
• Effective analogies should be easy to comprehend, familiar, and inspiring to the readers. Analogy uses similes and metaphors to make comparisons.
• An analogy should be used to express a new idea better. The ultimate goal of an analogy should be to make the reader understand a complex idea using literary devices such as analogy.

Tomas Laurinavicius

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Literary Devices

Last updated on: Jun 4, 2023

A Comprehensive Guide to Analogy In Literary Comparisons

By: Barbara P.

Reviewed By: Caleb S.

Published on: May 23, 2023

Sometimes, while reading a book, you feel words painting vivid pictures in your mind. Ever wondered how authors create such captivating stories? The secret lies in analogies. 

Analogies are like special codes in the literature that help us understand and feel things in a new way. But they can be tricky to decode or even add to your own writing.

That’s what this guide is here to help you with. In this blog, we'll discover all about analogies in literature. We'll learn how they work, explore different types, and discover how they make stories come alive. 

So, read on to sharpen your analysis and brighten your writing!

On this Page

Understanding Analogy

An analogy is a literary device that helps to explain or clarify something by comparing it to something else. It acts as a bridge , connecting two different ideas or concepts. 

By using an analogy, writers take something familiar and use it to describe something more complex or abstract, making it easier for readers to understand.

For example, in George Orwell's novel "Animal Farm," the animals on the farm represent the political figures of the Russian Revolution. This analogy helps readers grasp the complex political dynamics by comparing them to simpler animal characters.

Need to know more about other literary devices? Have a read here to learn about a number of literary devices !

Distinction between Simile, Metaphor, and Analogy

While similes, metaphors, and analogies are forms of comparison, they have slight differences in their usage. 

An analogy compares two things to help us understand or explain something. It connects unfamiliar ideas with familiar concepts. 

Similes use " like " or " as " to compare things directly, while metaphors state that one thing is another . 

In this quote, we see the use of simile , analogy , and metaphor :

Here is a quick review of the differences between the three literary devices:

Why Use Analogies in Literature

Analogies serve important purposes in literature, enhancing the overall reading experience. 

Let's explore why authors use analogies:

• Enhancing Understanding: Analogies make complex ideas more understandable by comparing them to something familiar, providing clarity and insight.
• Creating Vivid Imagery: They add depth and richness to descriptions, painting vivid pictures in readers' minds and bringing the narrative to life.
• Engaging Readers Emotionally: They evoke emotions and establish an emotional connection between the reader and the story, making it more captivating and memorable.
• Making Complex Ideas Accessible: Analogies simplify complex ideas, making them more accessible to a wider audience and expanding understanding.
• Stimulating Critical Thinking: They encourage critical thinking, prompting readers to draw connections, analyze patterns, and interpret underlying messages and themes.
• Enhancing Creativity: They offer a creative outlet for authors to express their ideas in unique and imaginative ways, captivating readers' attention.

Using analogies skillfully can really add richness to your text, so read on to learn how you can use them.

How to Use Analogies

Analogies are valuable tools that can be used in various situations to enhance understanding and communication. 

Here are some rules and tips to effectively use analogies:

Know Your Audience

Understand the knowledge, experiences, and background of your audience. Use analogies that resonate with them and align with their understanding.

Keep it Relevant

Ensure that your analogy is directly related to the topic or concept you're discussing. Avoid using analogies that are too far-fetched or unrelated, as they may confuse or distract your audience.

Use Simple and Familiar Comparisons

Choose analogies that are easy to understand and familiar to your audience. Everyday objects, common situations, or widely recognized phenomena work well to create relatable connections .

Highlight Key Similarities

Focus on the shared characteristics or behaviors between the analogy and the concept you're explaining. Emphasize the relevant aspects that help your audience grasp the intended meaning.

Make it Visual

Use descriptive language and vivid imagery to paint a clear picture in your audience's minds. Engage their senses by incorporating sensory details that enhance the visual representation of the analogy.

Provide Context

Set the stage by providing a brief context or explanation before presenting the analogy. This helps your audience connect the dots and understand how the analogy relates to the concept you're discussing.

Use Analogies Sparingly

While analogies can be powerful, avoid overusing them . Use them strategically to emphasize key points or to clarify complex ideas, but don't rely on them excessively.

How to Look for and Analyze Analogies

Works of literature are full of analogies. They add depth and meaning, forging connections between different elements.

Here are the steps to identify and analyze analogies in literary works:

• Pay attention to comparisons: Be on the lookout for instances where the author compares one thing to another. These comparisons can be indirect, drawing parallels between different elements in the text.
• Notice patterns and repeated imagery: Look for recurring symbols or images throughout the text. These can often indicate the presence of analogies and provide insights into the author's intended meaning.
• Consider thematic elements: Analyze the central themes and ideas explored in the literature. Analogies are often used to reinforce themes, so identifying the main themes can help in recognizing analogical connections.
• Engage with the text: Actively engage by asking questions and making connections. Look for similarities, parallels, or shared characteristics between different elements within the text.

Now, that you’ve learned how to identify analogies, here’s how you can analyze their role in the text:

• Identify shared characteristics: Once you've identified an analogy, focus on the elements being compared and find the similar qualities between them. This will help you understand the purpose of the analogy and its intended meaning.
• Consider the context: Analyze the surrounding context and the overall narrative of the literature. The analogy should fit within the broader storyline and contribute to the themes and messages conveyed by the author.
• Reflect on emotional impact: Consider the emotional impact of the analogy on the reader. How does it make you feel? What emotions does it evoke? This can provide insights into the intended effect the author wants to achieve and deepen your understanding of the analogy's purpose.
• Explore deeper meanings: Look beyond the surface-level comparison and consider the deeper meanings and implications of the analogy. Think about the layers of symbolism and metaphorical associations that the analogy may carry.

Analyzing is a key practice in any literature assignment. Read here to get an insight into literary analysis !

Let's take a closer look at a literary quote and analyze it to reveal its deeper meanings:

So, the next time you delve into a captivating literary work, keep an eye out for the analogies. Also, remember to include this device in your writings to give them a literary boost!

But if you still feel a little lost about using and analyzing analogies, you can reach out to our professional essay writing service!

At our service, our literature specialist writers can help you with any literature assignment. Whether you need help analyzing analogies or any other literary device, our team can do it all.

You can always rely on our team to provide you with assignments that will get you top scores every time.

Just ask us to “ write my essay ” and we’ll deliver!

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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What is an Analogy? Definition, Examples of Analogies in Literature

Home » The Writer’s Dictionary » What is an Analogy? Definition, Examples of Analogies in Literature

Analogy definition: An analogy is a comparison between two things that are quite different in nature. An analogy often explains a complex subject with one that is simpler or more familiar.

What is an Analogy?

What does analogy mean? An analogy is a comparison between two things. By nature, those two things are quite different from each other.

An analogy looks at complex subjects and simplifies them through comparison. The simplified or more familiar aspect of an analogy helps a reader understand the more complex concept.

An analogy may be as short as a sentence or as long as a few paragraphs.

Analogy Example:

Here is a familiar example of an analogy (which also happens to be an English idiom) is:

• The grass is always greener on the other side.

It is difficult to explain trying times in life. This expression simplifies the matter to one that is easier to grasp and understand.

Analogy vs. Simile and Metaphor

Even though it is a comparison, an analogy is not a simile nor is it a metaphor.

What does simile mean? A simile compares to entities with comparison words such as like, as, and resembles.

• He stood as solid as a rock.

What does metaphor mean? A metaphor compares two things without using comparison words.

• He was a rock.

However, an analogy focuses on the similarities between the two entities or situations in order to make a topic more digestible. A metaphor is a figure of speech that says one thing is another.

Modern Examples of Analogy

Example of analogy: A common expression that is an example of analogy is to “let a situation thaw.”

This analogy compares any difficult situation to a block of ice. To let any situation thaw would mean to let it rest, to give it space.

Ice and a difficult situation are not similar by nature. However, an analogy compares the two to show the similarities. Ice is a much simpler subject to explain than a trying situation.

For example, if an employee is frustrated with his employer, a coworker might tell him “to let the situation thaw.”

The situation itself cannot thaw; this analogy is a way to compare a complex subject to a simpler idea. The intention is to give the situation space to let it rest and “melt” before making any serious decisions.

This analogy takes a complex topic (like a heated relationship between two individuals) and makes it more familiar by comparing it to ice.

The Purpose of Analogy

For example, a writer may introduce his work with an analogy to prepare his audience for the difficulty of his subject matter. The comparison may not be evident until the reader has completed the text. Nonetheless, the comparison serves to gently introduce a complex topic and to make that topic more familiar to the audience.

Examples of Analogy in Literature

Analogy Examples in Literature:

In Silent Spring, Carson presents a town which was once rich and flourishing. Then, as man invades the town, nature becomes “silent” because man destroys it.

Carson begins with this “fable” in order to prepare her audience for her complex essay regarding man’s detrimental impact on the natural world.

Carson’s audience can relate to a quiet, peaceful town in Middle America. They can see through Carson’s imagery the beauty and serenity of nature. They understand how man’s impact changes the town.

This familiar story prepares the audience for a less familiar one—that this is not a fable at all, and that man has a destructive impact on his surrounding world.

Summary: What are Analogies?

Define analogy: The definition of analogy is a comparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

Their key features are,

• a comparison between two unlike things
• extended and often situational
• a way to explain a complex subject in familiar or simpler terms

What is an Analogy? Explained With 10 Top Examples

What is an analogy? Read our guide with top examples and in-depth explanations so you can wrap your head around this literary device.

Literary devices make your prose more colorful and vivid, allowing the reader to make associations. What is an analogy? An analogy compares two seemingly unlike things to help draw a conclusion by highlighting their similarities. Unlike other comparisons, like similes and metaphors, an analogy gives more detail about the comparison to help the reader understand it better. 

While there are many different types of analogy to study, the best way to understand this and other figures of speech is to consider examples. After reading a few analogies, you will be better equipped to spot them or write your own. And when you have finished here, check out our comparison article, simile vs metaphor .

What is An Analogy?

What are the benefits of using an analogy, analogy examples, 1. a name is a rose from romeo and juliet, 2. life is a shadow from macbeth, 3. the crowd is like a fisherman in “a hanging”, 4. life is like a box of chocolates from forrest gump, 5. pulling out troops is like salted peanuts from henry kissinger, 6. the futility of a new author from cocktail time, 7. the mystery of life in let me count the ways, 8. the push for freedom is like summer’s heat in “i have a dream”, 9. a needle in a haystack, 10. rearranging deck chairs on the titanic, 11. the matrix’s pill analogy, 12. harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone, what is the opposite of an analogy, what is an example of an analogy, what is the simple definition of analogy, what are 5 examples of analogy, what is another word for an analogy.

An analogy compares two concepts, usually to explain or clarify an idea. Writers use analogies to help people understand complex or abstract topics by relating something abstract to the familiar or concrete. They also use them as a type of literary device to improve the readability of their works.

By highlighting similarities, a writer helps readers see how one thing works or behaves by comparing the characteristics of abstract ideas to more familiar ideas. As a result, a concept or idea becomes easier to understand and even more memorable.

For example, a news reporter could employ this word analogy: “The presidential race for 2024 is like a chessboard…” Teachers use different types of analogies to demonstrate a concept to a student. For this reason, analogy tests often form part of standardized tests in any good English curriculum.

Analogies work in the real world too! For example, if a running coach wants to explain how a runner can run faster, they could use an analogy like “Pump your arms like a train” to help people understand how they should use their arms and legs to run faster. You might also be interested in learning  what is tautology .

Examples of analogies exist in classic literature, the latest books, movies and TV shows. Here are a few:

Often, analogies compare abstract concepts to something you can touch and feel. There are several examples of analogy in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In this analogy, the playwright compares someone’s name to a rose. The rose retains its sweet smell no matter how it is named, as does the person, regardless of his name. Read our guide to the best books of classic literature .

“If you want my final opinion on the mystery of life and all that, I can give it to you in a nutshell. The universe is like a safe to which there is a combination. But the combination is locked up in the safe.”

Life is a difficult concept to understand, making it a favorite topic for people who write analogies. In Act V of Macbeth, Shakespeare creates an analogy example by comparing a person’s life, and its brevity, to a fleeting shadow:

“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale  Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

Because life is so fleeting, this analogy works. The reader can see the shadow flitting about on the stage, then disappearing, reminding the reader how short life really is. You might also find these  headings and subheadings examples  helpful.

Some analogies take a little more time to explain yet still compare unlike things to make a point. For example, in his essay entitled  A Hanging  George Orwell describes the crowd gripping a man as they lead him to the gallows. The analogy is the comparison to the way a man would hold a slippery fish:

“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.”

This analogy is also an example of a simile because it uses the word “like” to make the comparison. However, because it extends beyond just one statement but has a complete description and explanation, it brings more imagery to the reader’s mind and thus is an analogy. Read our guide to the  best satirical authors .

Some analogies are short and sweet, rather than taking up an entire literary work. In the movie Forrest Gump, both the title character and his mother refer to life as a “box of chocolates.” In one of the most famous figures of speech from this movie, Forest says:

“My mom always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

Though this is a simple statement, it is an example of an analogy. The reader has probably experienced the feeling of grabbing chocolate and wondering what flavor it is, so this is a good analogy. But, like life, that box of chocolates always has the potential to give you the unexpected. You might also be wondering,  what is point of view?

Though technically a historian and not a literary genius, Henry Kissinger was famous for many of his analogies. One of his most commonly quoted is this:

“Withdrawal of U.S. troops will become like salted peanuts to the American public; the more U.S. troops come home, the more will be demanded. This could eventually result, in effect, in demands for unilateral withdrawal.”

This quote comes from a  memorandum Kissinger sent to President Nixon  regarding the conflict in Vietnam. He warned the president that bringing troops home a little at a time would create demand for more withdrawal, just like eating tasty peanuts makes you want to eat more. 

Writing a book is definitely challenging, especially when doing so for the first time. This fact is the source of one famous analogy in literature. In  Cocktail Time , P.G. Wodehouse compares a new author to someone performing an impossible task:

“It has been well said that an author who expects results from a first novel is in a position similar to that of a man who drops a rose petal down the Grand Canyon of Arizona and listens for the echo.”

Clearly, expecting to hear an echo from a rose petal at the Grand Canyon is foolishness. Thus, based on this analogy, the logical argument that expecting to see significant returns from a first novel is also foolish. You might also be wondering  what is a split infinitive .

In his novel  Let Me Count the Ways , Dutch author and journalist  Peter De Vries  compares life and a safe. He writes:

In this analogy, the safe can’t be unlocked. Similarly, the mystery of life is something people can’t fully understand.

Speechwriters who are good at their jobs often use analogies to make their words more memorable. In his famous speech, “I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King, Jr., makes an analogy between the anger of African-Americans and the heat of summer in this quote:

“This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.”

Just like the heat of summer is unquenchable, the frustration of those facing endless prejudice cannot be quenched. Yet when freedom comes, it is like the relief of the cool autumn breeze. This quote is still used today when people remember the famous civil rights activist.

Finding a needle in a haystack is a nearly impossible task. This catchphrase or analogy example is often applied to tasks that seem out of reach. For instance, one common analogy says:

“Finding a good man is as easy as finding a needle in a haystack.”

This analogy indicates it is nearly impossible to find a “good man.” Though unfair to the male gender, it does make its point through the use of analogy. Most people can picture digging through the hay to find a needle, but to no avail, which makes the analogy work.

This analogy does not come from any famous literary work or speech but from a well-known historical moment. The sinking of the Titanic was one such event. Sometimes people, when talking about something futile, will say:

“That’s as useful as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”

Since the Titanic was a doomed vessel, the futility of the effort is seen in this use of figurative language. The phrase can apply to any effort that would not matter because the result is a failure, like the sinking of the infamous ship. Check out our metonymy examples .

In The Matrix , there is a famous scene where Morpheus presents the red pill/blue pill analogy to Neo. The analogy is a turning point in the movie where Neo has to pick which path he wants to go down. The red pill represents embracing the uncomfortable truth and becoming aware of the real world he lives in. The blue pill represents choosing the familiar and comfortable path where he can remain in his world, oblivious to the dark reality he suspects.

“You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

J.K. Rowling uses analogies throughout her works, often to give insight into the minds and personalities of the characters. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , Professor Dumbledore speaks to Harry and imparts some of his famous wisdom.

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

In this analogy example sentence, he suggests that while having dreams and aspirations are important, it’s just as important to be grounded and present in the current moment. The analogy aims to show Harry that he should balance his ambition and reality and become mindful in the midst of the chaos that he lives in. It also encourages Harry to let go of regrets and become fully present in his life as it is today.

An antithesis highlights the differences between two contrasting ideas. For example, the analogy “Man plans, and God laughs” shows how we can strive and work towards a goal, only for God or fate to intervene and uproot our best plans. For further reading on a similar subject, check out our post on examples of metaphors in literature .

FAQs About What is an Analogy

An example of an analogy is “Hope is the lighthouse that stands tall amidst the stormy seas of despair.” The analogy emphasizes the idea that hope can help us navigate through the storms of life, guiding us toward a better future and helping us persevere in the face of challenges.

An analogy is a comparison between two things that are alike in some way, often used to help explain something or make it easier to understand.

1. Her laughter was music to his ears. 2. Time is money. 3. He is a shining star in the world of science. 4. The classroom was a zoo during the group activity. 5. Life is a journey with its share of twists and turns.

A related term for analogy is comparison. A comparison is a way of describing the similarities or differences between two things in order to better understand them.

75+ Analogy Examples [in Sentences]

• Figurative Language
• Published on Sep 19, 2021

•   shares

Analogy is a rhetorical device that says one idea is similar to another idea, and then goes on to explain it. They’re often used by writers and speakers to explain a complex idea in terms of another idea that is simpler and more popularly known.

This post contains more than 75 examples of analogies, some of which have been taken from current events to give you a flavor of how they’re used in real-world writing, some from sayings of famous people, and some are my own creation. They’ve been categorized into two types:

• Analogies with proportionate relationship
• Other analogies

To get the most of these examples, notice how unlike the two things being compared are and, in the second type, how the explanation goes.

(Note: Comments that go with examples are in square brackets.)

More resources on analogy:

• What is analogy and how to write its three types?
• People often confuse analogy with metaphor and simile. Learn how metaphor, simile, and analogy differ

1. Analogies with proportionate relationship

1 . What past is to rear-view mirror, future is to windshield.

2 . What Colorado is in the canyon, Jack is in exams. Both run through the stretch quickly.

3 . What Honda Accord is to cars in 2021, Internet Explorer is to web browsers in 2021. Microsoft did well to finally pull the plug on its browser.

4 . What Monday morning is to me, regular vaccines is to my dog. We both don’t look forward to them.

5 . I’m as uncomfortable in taking a swim as a lion is in taking a climb to a tree.

6 . What dredging machine is to small earthwork, sledgehammer is to cracking walnuts.

7 . I’m as jittery facing a potentially hostile audience as an old man facing a snowstorm.

8 . My father is attracted to jazz as much as iron filings are attracted to magnet. Come what may, he’ll find a way to attend a performance in the town.

9 . Loan sharks are feasting on poor villagers by extracting exorbitant interest rates, in much the same way as vultures feast on carcass.

10 . Famished, we patiently waited for the freshly baked pizza and, when it arrived, pounced on it like grizzly bears pounce on salmons.

Here are few analogies by famous writers and public figures:

11 . As smoking is to the lungs, so is resentment to the soul; even one puff is bad for you. Elizabeth Gilbert

12 . MTV is to music as KFC is to chicken. Lewis Black

13 . He is to acting what Liberace was to pumping iron. Rex Reed on Sylvester Stallone

14 . Armstrong is to music what Einstein is to physics and the Wright Brothers are to travel. Ken Burns

15 . Super Bowl Sunday is to the compulsive gambler what New Year’s Eve is to the alcoholic. Arnie Wexler

16 . He was to ordinary male chauvinist pigs what Moby Dick was to whales. Robert Hughes on Pablo Picasso

17 . College football is a sport that bears the same relation to education that bullfighting does to agriculture. Elbert Hubbard

18 . Football is to baseball as blackjack is to bridge. One is the quick jolt; the other the deliberate, slow-paced game of skill. Vin Scully

19 . It has been said that baseball is to the United States what revolutions are to Latin America, a safety valve for letting off steam. George Will

20 . The sound byte is to politics what the aphorism is to exposition: the art of saying much with little. Charles Krauthammer

21 . Ricardo Montalban is to improvisational acting what Mount Rushmore is to animation. John Cassavetes

22 . To be an American and unable to play baseball is comparable to being a Polynesian and unable to swim. John Cheever

23 . Freedom of the press is to the machinery of the state what the safety valve is to the steam engine. Arthur Schopenhauer

24 . The Christian Coalition has no more to do with Christianity than the Elks Club has to do with large animals with antlers. Garrison Keillor

25 . If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seed must grow. Rachel Carson

26 . The president of the United States bears about as much relationship to the real business of running America as does Colonel Sanders to the business of frying chicken. J. G. Ballard

2. Other analogies

27 . More books and tuitions don’t translate into more learning just as a fire hose in place of water dispenser doesn’t translate into more drinking capacity.

28 . Although online trolling is rampant, few thoughtful and well-meaning comments also get posted. How to go about responding to them? Propagate helpful comments by retweeting, liking, or leaving your reply. Ignore the trolls. This is quite similar to how we fan or extinguish a fire. Pour gasoline, and it’ll propagate. Starve it of oxygen, and it’ll die.

29 . Entrepreneurs who are working on projects such as generating energy through fusion reaction, the method that powers our sun, and inter-planetary travel are furrowing a new path. That’s like driving on an alien terrain full of surprises with no taillight to follow.

30 . It’s not easy building a business from scratch. That’s why most entrepreneurs after exiting their first company rather invest in other ventures. It’s easier to pour gasoline on a fire than starting a new fire.

31 . Do you want to work on the fringes, do odd jobs? Or do you want to join an organization and make impact? You can remain a pirate or join a navy. Choice is yours.

32 . When the leak in the pipe was repaired, I was surprised at the high flow of water. It meant that the pipe was leaking for months and got detected only when it burst, stopping the flow completely. In much the same way, bad habits creep into our lives almost imperceptibly, with us hardly noticing it till they culminate in a mishap.

33 . Depression is like the common cold. You don’t realize how underappreciated breathing is until you have a cold, and your nose is stuffed, and all you want to do is be able to take a deep breath. That’s what it feels like to have depression. I just want to be able to breathe again. I just want to feel okay. Source

34 . When I think about the effect of software, I equate it to water. Both are basic necessities. Both defy borders and generally go where they want to go. Both need to be protected and both need to be understood. They are critical resources that will always be central to success, and it is readily apparent when either is absent. We easily understand what it is like to be thirsty, and many are finding out what it is like to be digitally unaware. Both are extremely uncomfortable. Source

35 . The vaccine situation in India is like arranged marriage. First, you’re not ready, then you don’t like any, and then u don’t get any. Those who got are unhappy thinking may be the other one would have been better. Those who did not get any are willing to get anyone. Source

36 . Money is like manure. If you spread it around, it’s useful, and everything around you starts greening. If you leave it lying in a pile, it starts stinking quite quickly. Source

37 . Time for negotiations and beating around the bush is over; we need to take hard steps now. It’s time to give up scalpel and bring in hammer.

38 . We all want precise, quick, actionable solutions to solve the challenges life throws at us. However, answers to life’s challenges don’t come in bullet points. Such answers are hazy and often come in paragraphs.

39 . Ever had gum stuck on your hair. Icky, isn’t it. That’s what sight of a centipede or an earthworm does to me.

40 . While reading, a reader needs to slow down somewhat to comprehend a sentence that lacks parallel structure. Don’t we slow down when we encounter a speed bump on an otherwise smooth road? [Comment: I’ve used this and the next analogy in my post on parallelism. If you can think of a compelling thing to compare with, analogies aren’t difficult to pull off.]

41 . Just as you need two straight lines to even consider the concept of parallel lines, you need two elements in a sentence to even consider the concept of parallelism in a sentence.

42 . While their mother was away, the two leopard cubs escaped wild dogs by remaining standstill, camouflaging perfectly with the rocks in the background. Clearly, the two cubs, barely two months old, had been learning only what matters in the real world – escaping predators and hunting. In contrast, we humans learn myriad of subjects in school and college, of which only a tiny portion matters in the real world.

43 . Like the deadly fog that envelopes the region, affecting normal life for many days, global warming has emerged as the envelope of the entire planet, wreaking untold harm on the earth’s inhabitants.

44 . People gain wisdom little by little through experience, but that’s highly inefficient. You can gain wisdom much faster by learning from others’ mistakes, by receiving advice from mentors, and by reading books which have documented every possible human success and failure. Isn’t that akin to filling a bucket by a dripping tap when you can fill it much faster by opening the tap fully.

45 . You may have the required qualification and skills for a job, you may have mentors to guide you every step of the way, and you may have the best colleagues. But all this means nothing if you’re in the wrong job. It’s like having the best vehicle for a journey and friendliest co-passengers, but heading in a direction different from your destination.

46 . Government has invested so much of taxpayer’s money into the state-owned airline but to no avail. It hasn’t shown profits in nearly ten years. Is it any different from spraying fertilizer on weeds and deadwood?

47 . Trying ten pilot projects to zero in on our new product is quite resource heavy. Instead, we should try maximum 2-3 pilots based on a strong hypothesis. We can’t waste bullets through shotgun fire; we need sniper fire.

48 . None of your business ideas have worked so far because you haven’t thoroughly tested key assumptions in your business model. You’re in a way constantly shooting in the dark, hoping to find the target.

49 . You should stay in this project for few more weeks and complete it. Otherwise, your successor might get the credit for the completed project even though you’ve done bulk of the work. You’ll lay the eggs that others will hatch.

50 . With his skills, he’ll be better suited in marketing than in sales. You can’t put a square peg in a round hole.

51 . The fish asked the two passing subadult fish, “How’s the water?” The two subadult fish quizzically ask each other, “What’s water?” Like the fish don’t know what water is because it’s such an indistinguishable part of their life, we don’t see our frailties because they’re such an indistinguishable part of our lives.

52 . In the division of business empire between the feuding siblings, the sister got the steady cash-generator of a company. The others landed less attractive assets. That was like the sister skimming the cream and leaving double-toned milk for the brothers.

53 . He performed so well in the interview that he topped the exam despite poor performance in the written test. Imagine Usain Bolt winning 100-meter dash despite starting the race ten meters behind others.

54 . Industries such as online retail have such thin margins that an odd adverse event may turn a quarter from profit to loss. Life in the wild for predators is no different. A timely kill, or lack of it, can be the difference between fasting and feasting.

55 . By the time court ordered a stay on demolition order of the municipal body, the building was razed down. That was like conducting a successful organ transplant but failing to save the patient.

56 . Our program helping students boost their brain power didn’t take off. Our program helping struggling students did much better though. Isn’t it easier to sell aspirin than vitamin?

57 . When the leak in the pipe was repaired, I was surprised at the high flow of water. It meant that the pipe was leaking for months and got detected only when it burst, stopping the flow completely. In much the same way, bad habits creep into our lives almost imperceptibly, with us hardly noticing it till they culminate in a mishap.

58 . Public companies can find it challenging to reinvent themselves and make breakthrough progress because of constant pressure to keep short-term results clean. That’s why sometimes companies go private, Dell being an example, to discover their mojo away from the pressures a public company faces. I did something similar as an individual. For a year, I retreated from most time-wasters and social activities, tried multiple things, and found the career path I wanted to take.

59 . The marketing head proposed six marketing channels to pursue to increase brand awareness, possibly playing safe. Throw enough spaghetti against the wall and some of it will stick.

60 . When the company decided to disband the post because of inadequate work, the person-to-be-effected justified its continuance, citing the important functions the post served. Ask a man whose job is to shoo flies about the importance of his job, and he’ll say that he is saving humanity. We all think ours is the most important job.

61 . People underestimate how quickly they can become an expert in a field if they keep on improving and keep putting in the hours on their skill. It’s like how fast money multiplies when it accrues interest in a bank.

62 . If your content features on the second page of search result on Google, no one is going to find it. That’s like a murderer hiding a dead body at a place where no one can detect it.

63 . Just like one should cross a stream where it is shallowest, a company should enter that segment of a market where it has some advantage or where competition is less.

64 . Just as people don’t heed to health warning prominently displayed on cigarette packets and smoke, people don’t learn basic workplace skills despite knowing that lack of these skills affect their chance of landing a good job.

65 . The businessman, who hoodwinked several unsuspecting people with his suave manners and forged pedigree, was finally arrested. What many thought to be a promissory note turned out to be a dud cheque.

66 . Just as a cautious businessman avoids investing all his capital in one concern, so wisdom would probably admonish us also not to anticipate all our happiness from one quarter alone. Sigmund Freud

67 . Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. Winston Churchill

68 . It is with books as with men; a very small number play a great part; the rest are lost in the multitude. Voltaire

69 . A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity, and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon, and by moonlight. Robertson Davies

70 . It is with narrow-souled people as with narrow-necked bottles: the less they have in them, the more noise they make in pouring it out. Jonathan Swift

71 . Adversity has the same effect on a man that severe training has on the pugilist: it reduces him to his fighting weight. Josh Billings

72 . The lights of stars that were extinguished ages ago still reach us. So it is with great men who died centuries ago, but still reach us with the radiations of their personalities. Kahlil Gibran

73 . As the internal-combustion engine runs on gasoline, so the person runs on self-esteem: if he is full of it, he is good for the long run; if he is partly filled, he will soon need to be refueled; and if he is empty, he will come to a stop. Thomas Szasz

74 . I don’t like nature. It’s big plants eating little plants, small fish being eaten by big fish, big animals eating each other. It’s like an enormous restaurant. Woody Allen

75 . The human mind treats a new idea the same way the body treats a strange protein; it rejects it. Peter B. Medawar

76 . I go to books and to nature as a bee goes to the flower, for a nectar that I can make into my own honey. John Burroughs

77 . Trickle-down theory – the less than elegant metaphor that if one feeds the horse enough oats, some will pass through to the road for the sparrows. John Kenneth Galbraith

78 . A man should live with his superiors as he does with his fire; not too near, lest he burn; not too far off, lest he freeze. Diogenes

79 . We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come. Joseph Campbell

80 . Relationships are hard. It’s like a full-time job, and we should treat it like one. If your boyfriend or girlfriend wants to leave you, they should give you two weeks’ notice. There should be severance pay, and before they leave you, they should have to find you a temp. Bob Ettinger

Anil is the person behind this website. He writes on most aspects of English Language Skills. More about him here:

Mastering the Art of Analogies: Examples and Tips for Nonfiction Writers

by Harry Wallett

In this blog post, we’ll explore the ins and outs of using analogies to create vivid, memorable, and easy-to-understand pieces that resonate with your readers.

Picture this: you’re trying to explain a complex idea or concept to your readers, and you can see their eyes glazing over as they struggle to grasp your point. Frustrating, isn’t it? That’s where analogies come in.

By comparing your complicated idea to something more familiar and relatable, you can help your readers understand and retain the information you’re sharing.

In fact, analogies are an incredibly valuable addition to your writer’s toolbox. To help you master this technique, we’ll cover the basics of what an analogy is and how it differs from metaphors and similes.

We’ll then delve into the different types of analogies and provide examples from various nonfiction sources to show you how it’s done.

Let’s get started!

What is an analogy?

An analogy is a comparison between two things that are alike in some way, usually to explain a complex idea or concept in simpler terms.

Unlike metaphors and similes, which compare two things directly, analogies highlight the relationship between the two things being compared.

For example, you could say that writing is like cooking: both require skill, creativity, and the right ingredients (words or ideas) to create a satisfying result.

Types of Analogies

Understanding the different types of analogies can help you use them more effectively in your nonfiction writing. By recognizing the various forms that analogies can take, you’ll be better equipped to select the right type of analogy for your specific writing needs.

Here, we’ll explore the three main types of analogies commonly used in nonfiction writing:

Structural Analogies

Structural analogies focus on the similarities in the structure or organization of the two things being compared.

These analogies help to draw parallels between the arrangement or composition of different entities, making it easier for your readers to understand the underlying structure of a complex system.

For example, you might compare the hierarchy of a company to a military chain of command. In this analogy, the CEO is like a general, middle managers are like officers, and frontline employees are like enlisted soldiers.

This comparison can help your readers visualize the organizational structure of a company and understand the relationships between different levels of management.

Functional Analogies

Functional analogies highlight the similarities in how two things work or perform. These types of analogies help to explain the purpose or function of something by comparing it to another object or system with a similar function.

For instance, you could compare the human heart to a pump, as both have the primary function of moving fluid through a system. The heart pumps blood throughout the body, while a mechanical pump might move water through pipes.

By drawing this parallel, your readers can better understand the role of the heart in the circulatory system.

Conceptual Analogies

Conceptual analogies explore the similarities in the underlying concepts or ideas of the two things being compared.

These analogies can be particularly useful for explaining abstract ideas or theories by connecting them to more concrete or familiar concepts.

An example might be comparing the internet to a library, as both serve as repositories of information.

While the internet is a vast digital network that connects users to websites, articles, and other resources, a library is a physical space housing books, journals, and other sources of knowledge.

This analogy can help your readers understand the broader concept of the internet as a massive, interconnected storehouse of information.

How to Create Effective Analogies

Crafting the perfect analogy can be a bit of an art form, but with practice and a few guiding principles, you can create powerful comparisons that will elevate your nonfiction writing.

Here are some key tips to keep in mind when creating effective analogies:

Choose relatable and easily understood comparisons

The success of an analogy often hinges on its relatability. To help your readers grasp a complex concept, choose comparisons that are familiar and easily understood.

When your analogy is based on common experiences or objects, it becomes more accessible, allowing your readers to quickly make connections between the two ideas.

Consider your target audience’s background, interests, and experiences when selecting a comparison, and opt for analogies that will resonate with them.

Ensure the analogy supports your main point

An effective analogy should serve to clarify your argument or idea, not distract from it. Be sure that your chosen comparison supports your main point and enhances your readers’ understanding of the topic.

If an analogy seems to muddy the waters or lead your readers away from your central message, it’s best to rethink your approach and choose a different comparison that better aligns with your goals.

Be concise and avoid over-complicating the analogy

While it can be tempting to get lost in the details of a comparison, remember that the goal of an analogy is to simplify a complex concept for your readers. Aim to be concise and avoid over-complicating the analogy, as this can lead to confusion rather than clarification.

Focus on the most relevant and impactful similarities between the two ideas, and leave out extraneous details that might detract from your main point.

Test your analogy for effectiveness

Before committing to an analogy in your writing, it’s a good idea to test it for effectiveness. Consider running your analogy by a trusted friend, colleague, or editor, and ask for their feedback.

Does the analogy help them understand the concept better? Is it clear and concise? Their input can be invaluable in determining whether your analogy is hitting the mark or if it needs further refinement.

Don’t overuse analogies

While analogies can be powerful tools in nonfiction writing, it’s important not to overuse them. Relying too heavily on analogies can make your writing feel repetitive or overly simplistic.

Strike a balance by using analogies judiciously, reserving them for instances where they truly enhance your readers’ understanding of a complex idea or concept.

Examples of Analogies in Nonfiction Writing

Let’s take a look at some examples:

• In his book “The Tipping Point,” Malcolm Gladwell compares the spread of ideas and trends to the spread of a virus, highlighting how certain factors can cause ideas to “infect” large numbers of people quickly and seemingly without warning.
• In an article on climate change, you might use the analogy of a bathtub filling with water to explain how greenhouse gas emissions accumulate in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.
• Martin Luther King Jr., in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, used the analogy of a “bad check” to represent the unfulfilled promises of justice and equality for African Americans in the United States.

Tips for using analogies in your writing

Here are three handy tips for incorporating analogies into your nonfiction writing:

Know your audience: Make sure your analogies are appropriate for your target readers and consider their background knowledge and experiences.

Use analogies sparingly and intentionally: While they can be powerful tools, overusing analogies can make your writing feel cluttered or forced. Use them when they genuinely enhance your message.

Revise and refine your analogies for clarity and impact: Don’t be afraid to tweak or even scrap an analogy if it’s not working as well as you’d like. Sometimes it takes a bit of trial and error to find the perfect comparison.

Benefits of using analogies in nonfiction writing

So, why should you bother incorporating analogies into your writing? There’s a multitude of reasons, and the benefits are too good to ignore.

Let’s dive into some of the key advantages of using analogies in your nonfiction work:

They enhance understanding and retention of complex concepts

Analogies are a fantastic way to break down complicated ideas into more digestible chunks. By comparing complex concepts to familiar and relatable experiences or objects, you make it easier for your readers to understand and remember your message.

This can be especially helpful when you’re tackling subjects that may be unfamiliar or difficult for your audience to grasp, like scientific or technical concepts.

They engage your reader’s imagination and emotions

By drawing on familiar experiences or images, you create vivid mental pictures that can capture your reader’s attention and make your writing more engaging and memorable.

This emotional connection can also help your readers to empathize with the subjects of your writing, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for your topic.

They strengthen your argument and persuade your reader

Analogies can serve as powerful rhetorical devices, helping to drive home your point and convince your reader of your perspective. When used effectively, an analogy can clarify your argument, making it more accessible and persuasive.

This is particularly useful when you’re trying to explain an abstract concept or idea, as it helps to ground your argument in more concrete terms that your readers can easily understand and relate to.

They can aid in creative problem-solving and critical thinking

Analogies can also help your readers see connections between seemingly unrelated concepts or ideas, fostering creative problem-solving and critical thinking.

By exploring similarities between different subjects, you can help your readers develop new perspectives and insights, broadening their understanding of the world around them.

This can lead to novel approaches to tackling challenges, as well as a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of various aspects of our lives.

They create a relatable and personable writing style

Incorporating analogies into your writing can also make your work feel more relatable and personable. This can be particularly beneficial in nonfiction writing, where the subject matter might be dry or technical.

By using analogies that resonate with your readers’ experiences or interests, you can create a more engaging and approachable tone, making your writing feel more like a conversation than a lecture.

Wrapping Things Up

Mastering the art of using analogies in your nonfiction writing can transform your work from good to great. By thoughtfully incorporating analogies, you’ll be able to break down complex concepts, engage your readers on a deeper level, and create memorable connections that will make your writing stand out in a sea of content.

But, as with any writing technique, the key to truly mastering analogies lies in practice and experimentation. Don’t be afraid to play around with different comparisons and ideas, and remember that finding the perfect analogy may take some time and effort.

Keep refining your approach, and you’ll soon discover that the power of analogies lies not only in their ability to explain and persuade but also in their capacity to reveal new insights and perspectives that can enrich both your writing and your readers’ understanding of the world.

Happy writing!

Harry Wallett is the Managing Director of Cascadia Author Services. He has a decade of experience as the Founder and Managing Director of Relay Publishing, which has sold over 3 million copies of books in all genres for its authors, and looks after a team of 50+ industry professionals working across the world.

Harry is inspired by the process of book creation and is passionate about the stories and characters behind the prose. He loves working with the writers and has shepherded 1000s of titles to publication over the years. He knows first-hand what it takes to not only create an unputdownable book, but also how to get it into the hands of the right readers for success.

Books are still one of the most powerful mediums to communicate ideas and establish indisputable authority in a field, boosting your reach and stature. But publishing isn’t a quick and easy process—nor should it be, or everyone would do it!

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What Is an Analogy? Analogy Meaning and 100+ Analogy Examples

You may be wondering what an analogy is. While the concept is long gone from the SAT test, analogies are still used a great deal in everyday life. We’ll explore what an analogy is and give you some analogy examples in this article.

Table of Contents

What Is an Analogy?

An analogy is a comparison of two things in which one idea or concept is compared to something entirely different. While the two things might be totally different, the analogy compels the readers to realize their association. Sometimes, the analogy provides a comparison between two similar things, one of which might be hidden. The analogy gives a reader a way to understand the hidden thing by picturing the more common thing.

According to Merriam-Webster , an analogy is a comparison of two unlike things based on the resemblance of a particular aspect.  See the following example:

Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you are going to get. – Forrest Gump

In this case, Forrest Gump is comparing life to a box of chocolates.This exact comparison is considered a simile as we’ll get to in the next section.

In this post, we will learn about different types of analogy and their examples. So, without delay let’s get started.

Where Does the Word “Analogy” Come From?

The word analogy comes from the Greek word analogia. The word is made of the prefix ana and suffix logos . Ana means “again,” “upon,” or “back,” while the word logia means “ speech,” “word,” or “ratio. ” Together the word means something similar to “proportion.”

What Are the Different Types of Analogy?

The following literary devices qualify as analogies. Let’s learn about them one-by-one.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes an implied or hidden comparison between two things that are not related, but share common characteristics . For example, “He is the black sheep of the family, ”

Here the black sheep phrase is used to indicate a person who is considered worthless by other people in that family. However, it does not mean the person is actually black or sheep.

A metaphor compares two subjects without using words such as “as,” “like,” etc. Since metaphors declare one thing is another, they are regarded as an intense form of an analogy.

Like a metaphor, this analogy also creates a comparison between two things. However, it uses connecting words such as “as” or “like.” While it’s not as strong as a metaphor, it still lets the reader understand the similarity between two things and make a new cognitive link.

Your voice is as sweet as sugar.

A parable is generally a fictitious short story that illustrates an educational lesson or principle. Some of the popular fables that are parables include:

• The Fox and The Crow – Aesop
• The Lion and the Mouse – Aesop
• The Tortoise and the Hare – Aesop

Like a parable, allegory is also a story in which characters act as symbols. These symbols can be interpreted to explain a moral truth or a historical situation.

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a perfect example of Allegory.

Exemplification

Exemplification uses various examples to add more information to a general idea. It is a relationship between a sample and what that sample refers to.

Example from Wikipedia : “For instance, when a patch of green paint is used as a colour sample. The sample refers to green by possessing it and thus being referred to by the word denoting it. The sample  exemplifies  green, it stands for it, and in this way  exemplification is a mode of reference.”

Analogy Examples in Everyday Use

• Time is money, so spend it wisely.
• His brother is sly like a fox.
• She is as busy as a bee nowadays.
• She is as light as a feather.
• Socks are just the gloves of the feet.
• She found it under a blanket of sand.
• There is a garden on his face.
• The new parents have stars in their eyes.
• He is living in a bubble.
• Finding the right person is like finding a needle in a haystack.
• My father is my rock in hard times.
• Talking to her is like talking to a brick wall.
• Last night I slept the sleep of the dead.
• I would be pleased to meet your better half.
• My brother is as strong as an ox.
• He was as quiet as a church mouse.
• Always see the problem as a speed bump, not a roadblock.
• He was quick like a bunny.

Analogy Examples in Literature

The analogy has a significant role in literature. Authors use it to make a comparison between similar or dissimilar things, to help readers imagine places and characters, and to suggest a more profound significance . Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato also fostered analogy in literature, calling it a shared abstraction. Check out some classic examples of analogies in literature.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

“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 lines of the play, you can notice Shakespeare used the analogy to equate Romeo to a rose’s sweetness.

The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen

“Memory is to love what the saucer is to the cup.”

Bowen’s novel The House in Paris also uses analogy smartly in various places. For example, in the above phrase, the writer used the analogy to compare a cup and saucer’s relationship with love and memory.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage.” 

In Act 5 of his tragic play Macbeth, William Shakespeare used the analogy to compare life to a passing shadow.

Let Me Count the Ways by Peter De Vries

“If you want my final opinion on the mystery of life and all that, I can give it to you in a nutshell. The universe is like a safe to which there is a combination.”

In the above example of analogy, Vries compares the universe to a safe which can’t be unlocked.

Analogy Examples

Analogies play an essential role in writing to explain something important by comparing two different things that have some common traits. However, in verbal and word analogies, they are more like logic puzzles. The word or verbal analogies also compare two different things, but they do so by breaking them into parts to notice how they are related .

See the following examples of word analogies.

Moon :night :: sun :day

When you read the above analogy aloud, it says the moon is to night as the sun is to day.

Let’s have a look at some more word analogies.

• Pencil :write :: scissors :cut
• Apple :fruit :: carrot :vegetable
• Football: field :: tennis :court
• Hot :oven :: cold refrigerator
• Cow :mammal :: snake :reptile
• Turtle :crawl ::frog :hop
• Bow :arrow ::bat :ball
• Raft :river ::ski :snow
• Pretty :ugly :: smile: frown
• Bedroom :sleeping :: Kitchen :cooking
• Football :field :: tennis :court.

Analogies used to be a section in the SAT exam , but they were removed in 2005 since these questions were criticized for being irrelevant to success in a college or work environment.

So these are some analogy examples. We hope they improve your understanding of an analogy.

What is a false analogy?

An analogy compares two premises for what they both have in common. A false analogy implies a link between two premises based on what those two premises have in common. In other words, if two objects have one attribute in common, then they must have other attributes in common.

An easy false analogy example is:

Bob and Mark both drive sedans. Bob is a doctor so therefore Mark must also be a doctor.

Analogies and false analogies can both be used in an argument, but where the analogy would be derived from a fact, a false analogy would be based on a hypothesis. Whereas an analogy would be used as a rhetorical device in favor of a winning argument, a false analogy would be a misleading deduction based on the speaker’s lack of insight.

Classic Analogies

Classic analogies are known for their powerful imagery and ingenuity. False analogies are often dismissed for their obvious lack of logic and imagination. Classic analogies are often found in literature.

In his play, “Romeo and Juliet”, Shakespeare would of often use analogies to have his characters put into words the feelings they would otherwise not know how to express. In the famous balcony scene in “Romeo and Juliet”, Juliet is caught trying to persuade herself not to hide her feelings from her lover, as Romeo hears her saying

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet”.

Juliet is thus establishing a comparison between her lover’s name and that of a rose’s. She does so through an analogy: she compares her lover’s name to that of a rose’s , so she can find them both beautiful, yet completely devoid of meaning.

Had she used a false analogy, she would have had to compare her lover’s features to that of a rose’s, in order to win the argument. She would have had to compare Romeo’s hair to a rose’s petals and his feet to a rose’s stalk and her entire argument would have collapsed.

Just because Romeo’s name sounds as sweet as that of a rose’s, that doesn’t mean that Romeo would need to shares any of his other qualities with a rose. Had she built from a premise of them sharing the same beautiful sounding name, she would have reached a false conclusion, as that sweet loving sound is the only link between them.

The fact that her Romeo and a rose could be called by any other name is the only comparison she needs. The reason she picked a rose is that she needed a subject completely unrelated to her Romeo. She needed an analogy to get her point across. She got one.

100 Examples of Word Analogy

Below are 100 examples of anlaogies.

1. Rose is to flower as blue is to color 2. Father is to mother as uncle is to aunt 3. Puppy is to dog as kitten is to cat 4. In is to out as up is to down 5. Hearing is to ear as seeing is to eye 6. State is to country as country is to continent 7. Rock is to mountain as sand is to beach 8. Cover is to book as pillowcase is to pillow 9. Captain is to ship as pilot is to airplane

10. Snowflake is to snow as raindrop is to rain 11. Mother is to child as cub is to bear 12. Hat is to head as gloves are to hands 13. Penny is to dime as $1 bill is to $10 bill 14. Key is to a lock as combination is to a safe 15. Big is to little as wide is to narrow 16. Canoe is to ship as car is to bus 17. White is to black as day is to night 18. Chair is to sit as bed is to lay down 19. United States is to Washington DC as Albany is to New York

20. Meow is to cat as bark is to dog 21. Beach hat is to summer as earmuffs are to winter 22. Cheering fans are like squawking turkeys 23. Waiting for a special day is like watching grass grow 24. Homeruns are to baseball as touchdowns are to football 25. Colorful leaves are to autumn as buds are to spring 26. Vacation is to fun as workdays are to drudgery 27. Ants are to beetles as sparrows are to crows 28. Recycling is to ecology as dumping is to pollution 29. A full moon is like a glow-in-the-dark frisbee

30. A furnace is to heat as an air-conditioner is to cool 31. A compliment is to an insult as a smile is to a scowl 32. Babe Ruth is to baseball as Michael Jordan is to basketball 33. Flying a kite without wind is like sledding without snow 34. Assembling furniture with no instructions is like driving in the dark with no headlights 35. Uninvited guests are like ants at a picnic 36. Reading a good novel is like going on an adventure 37. Words are to sentences as numbers are to equations 38. A solution to a problem is like a cure to an illness 39. Math is to numbers as English is to letters

40. Paper is to origami as clay is to sculpture 41. Coach is to a team as a conductor is to an orchestra 42. A bullseye is to archery as a hole in one is to golf 43. Dermatologist is to doctor as orthodontist is to dentist 44. Arborist is to tree as veterinarian is to animal 45. Keys are to piano as strings are to guitar 46. Commercials are to television as ads are to magazines 47. Trophy is to achievement as souvenir is to vacation 48. Breakfast is to morning as dinner is to evening 49. Heroes are courageous as cowards are afraid

50. Verses are to greeting cards as lyrics are to songs 51. Robin is to bird as poodle is to dog 52. Run is to jog as walk is to amble 53. Panes are to windows as shingles are to roofs 54. Eraser is to pencil as stain remover is to carpet 55. Gift wrap is to gift as mailing envelope is to package 56. Bland is to spicy as white bread is to jalapeno 57. Pumpkin is to orange as pine tree is to green 58. Tree is to forest as person is to crowd 59. Pitcher is to baseball as quarterback is to football

60. Black cat is to Halloween as reindeer is to Christmas 61. Broccoli is to vegetable as apple is to fruit 62. Monopoly is to board games as Old Maid is to card games 63. Garages are to cars as stables are to horses 64. Pediatricians are to children as veterinarians are to pets 65. Drumsticks are to drummers as paintbrushes are to painters 66. Icing on a cake is like sprinkles on ice cream 67. A kangaroo’s pouch is like a mother’s baby carrier 68. Lose is to find as fail is to succeed 69. Sickness is to health as poverty is to riches

70. Education is to teacher as healthcare is to doctor 71. Tan is to brown as pink is to red 72. Old-fashioned is to modern as Model T Ford is to Tesla 73. Quaint is to village as fast-paced is to city 74. Goalie is to hockey team as catcher is to baseball team 75. Seamstress is to fabric as carpenter is to wood 76. A nail is to a hammer as a screw is to a screwdriver 77. Trout is to fish as finch is to bird 78. Knee is to leg as elbow is to arm 79. Polite is to rude as generous is to stingy

80. Driver is to car as pilot is to airplane 81. East is to west as north is to south 82. Trial is to courtroom as wedding is to banquet hall 83. Flower is to bouquet as a charm is to a charm bracelet 84. Fish is to fin as bird is to wing 85. Crossword is to puzzle as mystery is to novel 86. Mason is to brick as painter is to paint 87. Grazing is to sheep as snacking is to people 88. Wound is to painful as hive is to itchy 89. The Nutcracker is to ballet as Carmen is to opera

90. Earrings are to ears as bracelets are to wrists 91. Article is to newspaper as show is to television 92. Skiing is to winter as surfing is to summer 93. Lanes are to bowling as courts are to tennis 94. Ovens are for baking as toasters are for toasting 95. Bear is to mammal as crocodile is to reptile 96. Spain is to Europe as Venezuela is to South America 97. Clock is to time as thermometer is to temperature 98. Worm is to soil as sandworm is to sand 99. California is to west coast as Florida is to east coast 100 Trowel is to gardening as a glue gun is to crafting

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30 Writing Topics: Analogy

Ideas for a Paragraph, Essay, or Speech Developed With Analogies

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• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

An analogy is a kind of comparison that explains the unknown in terms of the known, the unfamiliar in terms of the familiar.

A good analogy can help your readers understand a complicated subject or view a common experience in a new way. Analogies can be used with other methods of development to explain a process , define a concept, narrate an event, or describe a person or place.

Analogy isn't a single form of writing. Rather, it's a tool for thinking about a subject, as these brief examples demonstrate:

• "Do you ever feel that getting up in the morning is like pulling yourself out of quicksand? . . ." (Jean Betschart, In Control , 2001)
• "Sailing a ship through a storm is . . . a good analogy for the conditions inside an organization during turbulent times, since not only will there be the external turbulence to deal with, but internal turbulence as well . . ." (Peter Lorange, Leading in Turbulent Times , 2010)
• "For some people, reading a good book is like a Calgon bubble bath — it takes you away. . . ." (Kris Carr, Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor , 2008)
• "Ants are so much like human beings as to be an embarrassment. They farm fungi, raise aphids as livestock, launch armies into wars, use chemical sprays to alarm and confuse enemies, capture slaves. . . ." (Lewis Thomas, "On Societies as Organisms," 1971)
• "To me, patching up a heart that'd had an attack was like changing out bald tires. They were worn and tired, just like an attack made the heart, but you couldn't just switch out one heart for another. . . ." (C. E. Murphy, Coyote Dreams , 2007)
• "Falling in love is like waking up with a cold — or more fittingly, like waking up with a fever. . . ." (William B. Irvine, On Desire , 2006)

British author Dorothy Sayers observed that analogous thinking is a key aspect of the writing process . A composition professor explains:

Analogy illustrates easily and to almost everyone how an "event" can become an "experience" through the adoption of what Miss [Dorothy] Sayers called an "as if" attitude. That is, by arbitrarily looking at an event in several different ways, "as if" if it were this sort of thing, a student can actually experience transformation from the inside. . . . The analogy functions both as a focus and a catalyst for "conversion" of event into experience. It also provides, in some instances not merely the To discover original analogies that can be explored in a paragraph , essay, or speech, apply the "as if" attitude to any one of the 30 topics listed below. In each case, ask yourself, "What is it like ?"

Thirty Topic Suggestions: Analogy

• Working at a fast-food restaurant
• Moving to a new neighborhood
• Starting a new job
• Quitting a job
• Watching an exciting movie
• Reading a good book
• Going into debt
• Getting out of debt
• Losing a close friend
• Leaving home for the first time
• Taking a difficult exam
• Making a speech
• Learning a new skill
• Gaining a new friend
• Responding to bad news
• Responding to good news
• Attending a new place of worship
• Dealing with success
• Dealing with failure
• Being in a car accident
• Falling in love
• Getting married
• Falling out of love
• Experiencing grief
• Experiencing joy
• Overcoming an addiction to drugs
• Watching a friend destroy himself (or herself)
• Getting up in the morning
• Resisting peer pressure
• Discovering a major in college
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