Mastering the SimileMastering the Simile

“The evening is spread out against the sky/Like a patient etherized upon a table.” -T.S. Eliot, “The

Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock”

Developed by Maureen A. Roe, 2003

WelcomeWelcome

The purpose of this program is:The purpose of this program is: To instruct you on the definition and use of the simileTo instruct you on the definition and use of the simile To enable you to produce more effective descriptive writingTo enable you to produce more effective descriptive writing To allow you to integrate technology into your learningTo allow you to integrate technology into your learning

The learning objectives include assisting you in:The learning objectives include assisting you in: Describing a sceneDescribing a scene Describing a musical scoreDescribing a musical score Creating your own similesCreating your own similes Identifying similesIdentifying similes Evaluating the effectiveness of similesEvaluating the effectiveness of similes

Let’s Begin…

Introduction

Welcome

Definition

Examples

Practice

Describe a Picture

Describe a song

Write similes

Identify & Explaining Similes

Analyze Similes

Assessment

Quiz

Metacognition

DefinitionDefinition

What is a simile?A figure of speech that compares unlike things in order to describe something. Similes do not state that something is another thing. Instead, they compare using the word “like” or “as.”

Let’s look at some examples…

Example 1Example 1

From Robert Burns’ “A From Robert Burns’ “A Red, Red Rose”:Red, Red Rose”:

““My love is like a red, My love is like a red, red rose.”red rose.”

Example 2Example 2From Elizabeth Bishop’s From Elizabeth Bishop’s

“The Fish”:“The Fish”:

““I caught a tremendous I caught a tremendous fish…/ his brown skin fish…/ his brown skin hung in strips/ like hung in strips/ like ancient wallpaper,/ ancient wallpaper,/ and its pattern of and its pattern of darker brown/ was like darker brown/ was like wallpaper:/ Shapes wallpaper:/ Shapes like full-blown like full-blown roses/stained and lost roses/stained and lost through age.”through age.”

Example 3Example 3

From Christina Rossetti’s “Flint”:From Christina Rossetti’s “Flint”:

““An emerald is as green as grass,/ A ruby An emerald is as green as grass,/ A ruby red as blood;/ A sapphire shines as blue as red as blood;/ A sapphire shines as blue as heaven;/ A flint lies in the mud.”heaven;/ A flint lies in the mud.”

Example 4Example 4

From George Orwell’s From George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant”:“Shooting an Elephant”:

““The elephant’s The elephant’s blood poured out blood poured out like red velvet….”like red velvet….”

Now it’s your turn…

Practice ExercisesPractice Exercises

You will now participate You will now participate in a series of exercises in a series of exercises to practice your to practice your understanding of the understanding of the simile.simile.

All of these tasks should All of these tasks should be completed on your be completed on your own paper and then own paper and then turned into your turned into your instructor as a packet.instructor as a packet.

Let’s get started…

Practice Exercise 1: Practice Exercise 1: Working with PicturesWorking with Pictures

Now that you have seen some Now that you have seen some examples of effective similes, try to examples of effective similes, try to write some yourself. In the next few write some yourself. In the next few screens, you will be given a series of screens, you will be given a series of pictures; for each one, record a pictures; for each one, record a simile on separate paper.simile on separate paper.

Here we go…

Picture 1Picture 1

Cre

ate

a sim

ile

base

d o

n th

is p

icture

…

Picture 2Picture 2Cre

ate

a sim

ile

describ

ing

wh

at y

ou

se

e…

Picture 3Picture 3

CREATE

A

SIMILE

On to

Exercise

2…

Practice Exercise 2:Practice Exercise 2:Working with MusicWorking with Music

Now that you have tried your simile Now that you have tried your simile skills with pictures, you are ready to skills with pictures, you are ready to describe some sounds.describe some sounds.

Listen to this portion of Richard Listen to this portion of Richard Wagner’s Wagner’s Ride of the ValkyriesRide of the Valkyries and and write down three similes that come write down three similes that come to mind. Ask yourself: What does the to mind. Ask yourself: What does the music music sound likesound like??

Practice 2: Ride of the Practice 2: Ride of the ValkyriesValkyries

When you have finished, continue to the next exercise where you will write similes of your own

Here

com

es E

xerc

ise

3

Practice Exercise 3: Practice Exercise 3: Creating SimilesCreating Similes

In this exercise, you will be given some In this exercise, you will be given some images with which you will create images with which you will create similes. Fill in the blanks with similes. Fill in the blanks with something that compares well with the something that compares well with the image and provides the reader with a image and provides the reader with a vivid picture.vivid picture.

Record your answers on separate paper.Record your answers on separate paper. Here we go…

Practice 3: Finish the SimilePractice 3: Finish the Simile1.1. Going to college is like________.Going to college is like________.

2.2. Marriage is like________.Marriage is like________.

3.3. Pets are like ________.Pets are like ________.

4.4. Religion is like ________.Religion is like ________.

5.5. Death is like ________Death is like ________

6.6. My mother walks like ________.My mother walks like ________.

7.7. My father talks like ________.My father talks like ________.

On we go to Exercise 4…

Practice 4: Practice 4: Finding & Explaining SimilesFinding & Explaining Similes

For this exercise, you will be given short passages from Pulitzer Prize Winning author, Michael Cunningham’s A Home at the End of the World. Find and explain the similes in each, identifying what they mean and why they make sense. Record your answers on a separate piece of paper.

Passage 1Passage 1

““He stepped off the He stepped off the crowded curb with crowded curb with the calm certainty the calm certainty of a general. I, of a general. I, however, tended to however, tended to move like a long move like a long apology.”apology.”

Passage 2Passage 2

““Bobby looked too much Bobby looked too much like a man who’d been like a man who’d been in a cartoon accident. in a cartoon accident. He might have had stars He might have had stars and planets fluttering and planets fluttering around his head. You around his head. You got the impression that got the impression that he was slightly cross-he was slightly cross-eyed.”eyed.”

Passage 3Passage 3

““Bobby looked hungry as a stray dog, and just that Bobby looked hungry as a stray dog, and just that sly and dangerous. He sat at our table, wolfing sly and dangerous. He sat at our table, wolfing roast chicken. His hair was an electrified nest. He roast chicken. His hair was an electrified nest. He wore boots, and a leather jacket decorated with a wore boots, and a leather jacket decorated with a human eye worked in faded cobalt thread.”human eye worked in faded cobalt thread.”

Almost done!

One more Exercise…

Practice 5: Practice 5: Evaluating SimilesEvaluating Similes

For your final practice exercise, you will be given a poem with several similes. Your job is to provide at least three clear reasons why these similes improve the poem’s impact on the reader.

Ask yourself these questions:

•What do the similes help me visualize?

•What would the poem be like without the similes?

•What overall effect does the poet want the poem to have and how do the similes contribute to this effect?

Evaluating SimilesEvaluating Similes

Dream DeferredDream DeferredWhat happens to a dream What happens to a dream

deferred?deferred?Does it dry upDoes it dry upLike a raisin in the sun?Like a raisin in the sun?Or fester like a sore--Or fester like a sore--And then run?And then run?Does it stink like rotten Does it stink like rotten meat?meat?Or crust and sugar over--Or crust and sugar over--like a syrupy sweet?like a syrupy sweet?Maybe it just sagsMaybe it just sagslike a heavy load.like a heavy load.Or does it explode?Or does it explode?

Langston Hughes(1902-1967)

Now let’s see how you did…

AssessmentAssessment

Now that you are almost finished with Now that you are almost finished with your journey through the simile, it is your journey through the simile, it is time to show what you know. time to show what you know.

Let’s take a quiz…

Simile QuizSimile Quiz You and Your Simile You and Your Simile

1) What word is likely to appear in a simile?1) What word is likely to appear in a simile? One answer only. One answer only.       since since       like like       because because       is is

2) What is the primary function performed by a simile?2) What is the primary function performed by a simile? One answer only. One answer only.       informing informing       persuading persuading       comparing comparing       defining defining

3) Which of the following is an example of a simile?3) Which of the following is an example of a simile? One answer only. One answer only.       The king is a dictator. The king is a dictator.       Dogs are cute and cuddly. Dogs are cute and cuddly.       The woman smiled from ear to ear. The woman smiled from ear to ear.       She looked lke a Halloween witch. She looked lke a Halloween witch.

Let’s Continue…Let’s Continue…

Simile Quiz ContinuedSimile Quiz Continued You and Your Simile You and Your Simile

1) What other word are you likely to find in a simile?1) What other word are you likely to find in a simile? One answer only. One answer only.       as as       when when       until until       into into

2) Which of the following is NOT a simile?2) Which of the following is NOT a simile? One answer only. One answer only.       I am as cold as ice. I am as cold as ice.       The moon is a night light. The moon is a night light.       Her face was white like chalk. Her face was white like chalk.       Life is like a constant marathon. Life is like a constant marathon.

3) What does a simile do for a passage?3) What does a simile do for a passage? One answer only. One answer only.       helps describe helps describe       helps create a picture helps create a picture       helps reader relate to the images helps reader relate to the images       all of the above all of the above

One more thing…

Record your answers on separate paper, score them, and then submit quiz to the instructor.

MetacognitionMetacognition

In a short paragraph, explain how and In a short paragraph, explain how and why similes are effective for you. When why similes are effective for you. When you are reading something with you are reading something with similes, how is your experience similes, how is your experience enhanced or limited. enhanced or limited.

Do similes help you see and understand?Do similes help you see and understand?

Submit the paragraph to your instructor.Submit the paragraph to your instructor.

Summary: The Final WordSummary: The Final Word