How to Be Both Metaphors and Similes

How to Be Both Metaphors and Similes

Hands corroded with gold like sores

The imagery of the gold corrosions on the hands that the narrator says look as if they belong to an angel while at the same time look like they don’t belong to anyone are brought out through the use of a simile. In the simile, the corrosions are said to be “like sores turned into gold.”

The heaving and pitching of the water in the pan like ocean water

A simile is used in linking the imagery of the water heaving and pitching in the flat and shallow concrete pan to ocean water particularly during stormy weather: The water in the flat, shallow concrete pan had started to heave and pitch, like ocean water in a storm.

The brick slice’s imagery

The imagery of the brick slice is brought out through its direct comparison to a slice of cheese. The writer notes: “… and a brick slice very like a slice of cheese all arranged round grass blades in a curtsey for the Falcon as if even grass will bow respectfully at such a man.”

The slipping away of the gown “like the peeled back petals of a lily”

The simile used in the presentation of the way the narrator’s gown slipped off the clothes trunk and then slipped away from her enhances imagery. In particular, the comparison to the peeled back petals of a lily makes the imagery more widespread and predominant.

Walk like a swan out of element

It becomes something of an irony that a woman who has about her an aura of beauty as well as grace “[would] walk like a swan out of element or a flight bird forced to walk.” This simile brings out the woman’s apparent lack of enjoyment of the situation.

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