Recap
A simile likens two different things using “like” or “as”; a metaphor implies the similarity without those words. In both, the main subject is the thing being described and the comparison subject is the thing it is compared to. Traits transfer from the comparison subject to the main subject, and the context in the poem selects which traits. Differences between the two things can also be revealing.
Key relationships
| Idea | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simile | A comparison with “like” or “as” | “My Luve’s like a red, red rose” |
| Metaphor | An implied comparison | “Hope is the thing with feathers” |
| Main subject | What is being described | Love; hope; grief |
| Comparison subject | What it is compared with | A rose; a bird; a coat |
| Transfer | Traits carried across | Freshness; persistence; heaviness |
| Context | What the surrounding text makes relevant | “In June”; “in the gale”; “heavier wet” |
| Difference | Where the comparison does not fit | Hope sings “without the words” |
What you may assume
- Readers bring everyday associations to a comparison subject, and a poet relies on them.
- The poem’s context selects which associations matter.
- A figure can be extended through several lines.
Mistakes to avoid
- Naming a device without saying what is transferred.
- Writing about the comparison subject as if it were the main subject.
- Listing every association instead of choosing the ones the context supports.
- Treating metaphor as stronger or better than simile.
- Ignoring differences between the two things.
Key terms
- Simile: a comparison using “like” or “as”.
- Metaphor: an implied comparison, often treating one thing as another.
- Main subject / comparison subject: the thing described / the thing it is compared to.
- Transfer: traits carried from the comparison subject to the main subject.
Sentence frames
- “By comparing [main subject] to [comparison subject], the speaker transfers ….”
- “The context ‘…’ selects the trait of … from the comparison.”
- “The comparison departs from … when …, which shows ….”
Mini-example
“Grief is a coat.” Main subject: grief. Comparison: a coat. Context: “heavier wet”. Transferred trait: an unwanted, constant weight.
How questions ask about this
- “The comparison in … suggests that [main subject] is …”: name the main subject and the trait transferred.
- “Which trait of [comparison subject] is most relevant in context?”: use the surrounding words to select.
- “The metaphor in lines … most directly conveys …”: choose the answer that matches the context, not a general association.
- Constructed response: name both subjects, say what transfers and what it shows about the main subject.
Quick self-check
- In “Grief is a coat”, name the main subject and the comparison subject.
- Why does “newly sprung in June” matter when reading the rose in Burns’s poem?
- What does it show that hope “never … asked a crumb”?
Answers.
- Main subject: grief. Comparison subject: a coat.
- It selects freshness and new beauty from the rose’s associations, and not thorns or brevity.
- A point where the comparison departs from a real bird: hope gives without demanding anything.
Full explanations are in the study guide. Try the practice questions next.