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Literary Devices

Figure of Speech

Analogy

Analogy involves drawing a comparison between two things in order to clarify or explain something. Analogies are often used to help readers understand complex or abstract ideas by comparing them to something more familiar.

An analogy develops a comparison to explain how an unfamiliar or complex subject works. Map the relevant relationship between the two domains and recognize where the comparison stops being useful.

A thesis is a map: it shows readers where the argument is going and which route connects its parts.
The map comparison explains the thesis's guiding and organizing function.

See it in language

Examples of Analogy

  1. A thesis is a map: it shows readers where the argument is going and which route connects its parts.

    Instructional example

  2. Learning the new software was like moving into a house whose switches were in unfamiliar rooms.

    Instructional example

    The extended comparison explains how familiar functions can be difficult when their locations change.

  3. The committee worked like a relay team, with each specialist carrying the proposal through one stage.

    Instructional example

    The relay structure clarifies sequential responsibility and handoff.

Show more examples
  1. Life is like a rollercoaster, with its ups and downs.

    Instructional example

  2. Love is like a rose, delicate and beautiful but with thorns that can hurt.

    Instructional example

  3. The human brain is like a computer, processing and storing information.

    Instructional example

  4. Writing is like painting a picture, using words instead of colors.

    Instructional example

  5. Success is like a ladder, with each step representing progress towards a goal.

    Instructional example

  6. Courage is like a muscle, it gets stronger with use.

    Instructional example

  7. Time is like a river, it flows continuously and cannot be stopped.

    Instructional example

  8. Teaching is like lighting a fire, igniting a passion for learning in others.

    Instructional example

  9. Dreams are like clouds, constantly changing and taking different shapes.

    Instructional example

  10. Memory is like a photo album, preserving moments and experiences for later reflection.

    Instructional example

Read like an editor

How to recognize it

  1. Identify the unfamiliar target and the more familiar source used to explain it.
  2. List the specific relationships or functions mapped between the two.
  3. Evaluate which features are relevant and where the analogy would break down.

Meaning and effect

Why writers use Analogy

Clarify meaning
A familiar structure can make an abstract process easier to understand.
Create vivid comparison
Mapped relationships give conceptual explanation a concrete form.
Engage readers
Working through a comparison invites active reasoning about similarities and limits.

Common confusion

Analogy vs. Metaphor

Both compare domains, but an analogy develops relational correspondences for explanation while a metaphor creates figurative identification.

Analogy

An analogy maps several relevant relationships to clarify or reason.

“A thesis is a map that guides the argument's route.”

Metaphor

A metaphor describes one thing as another to transfer qualities.

“The committee was a locked door.”

What's the Difference?

Follow the idea

Related devices

Questions readers ask

Frequently asked questions

Is an analogy always figurative?

Not necessarily. It may compare two real systems or situations to reason about shared relationships.

How is an analogy different from a metaphor?

A metaphor identifies one thing with another for figurative meaning; an analogy develops correspondences to explain or argue.