Simile and Metaphor

Similes and metaphors are closely related types of figurative language. Both are used to compare one object to another. Their only difference is that simile requires you to use "like" or "as" to compare where as a metaphor you do not use "like" or "as".
The dictionary definition of Simile is, "A figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by 'like' or 'as'" and the dictionary definition of metaphor is, "a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them".
Similes and metaphors are very important components of figurative language. It is used to add power to a sentence.
For example, look at the following two sentences: "the man was small", "The man was as small as an ant". Obviously the second sentence was better. Similes metaphors add more description to a piece of literature to help you understand more.

Here are 2 more examples. The first poem is an example of simile and the second poem is an example of a metaphor. The examples are highlighted to help show you where they are.

Flint

An emerald is as green as grass,

A ruby red as blood;

A sapphire shines as blue as heaven;

A flint lies in the mud.

A diamond is a brilliant stone,

To catch the world's desire;

An opal holds a fiery spark;

But a flint holds a fire.

Christina Rossetti 

 Simile

Hope

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

"I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me."

                                                                       Emily Dickinson

Metaphor

MLK Day

The great Martin Luther King Jr. can be considered a martyr because he was assassinated for his belief and for the journey he took to get the black community the same rights the white community has in the United States of America. In the speech before his assassination he said, "I've been to the mountaintop. . . . And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land." Dr. King knew what he was doing would lead him to death and it eventually did. Even though he died, he still completed his task. Almost 50 years later, if he was alive today he would be proud to see that his people obtained equal rights but would be disappointed to see the violence that has been developed within the black community.

Dr. King once said, "We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will all perish together as fools." These words should let people know that what he is saying that every man needs to live peacefully or we will all kill each other. This is the case in many heavily black populated cities such as Camden, parts of Detroit, and Compton. The blacks in those areas are turning against one another by joining different gangs and senselessly killing one other. Martin Luther King also said, "People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” Dr. King knew that communication was the key to peace but it seems that no one want to communicate today.

If Martin Luther King were to come to my school and see all that we have been doing with our civil rights, I believe he would be disappointed.  Walking through our halls he would see young men with their pants below their butts, young women showing a little too much of their body, and would see each other disrespect one another with foul profanity. If he were to go into a classroom he would see young people disrespecting teachers, others sleeping, or not being attentive. Martin Luther King fought for the full education of black people and to see people in my school take advantage of such a thing the way we're doing, would disappoint him very much.

In the words of DR. King, “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” Martin Luther King would want what he has been fighting for to continue but it seems after 45 years the black community has not moved much. We've overcome the obstacle of inequality but face a new obstacle of hatred toward one another. Like King said, "We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will all perish together as fools." and right now we are perishing.

Exaggeration to the MAX

People exaggerate a lot; in books, in life, in music, basically everywhere. When exaggeration happens in literature, it is called a hyperbole. The dictionary definition for the word is "obvious and intentional exaggeration." 
An example of a hyperbole could be, "It's so hot outside, I can fry an egg on the sidewalk." Now some maybe be thinking. "Wait. Is a hyperbole something like a lie?" The answer to that question is, "Sorta". It is a lie but the difference is when you lie, you DON'T want the person to know you're lying but when you use a hyperbole, you make it so obvious that the person can catch on to it.
Hyperbole is important in literature. Why? Well why not? Imagine life without sarcasm; Everything would be so straightforward and that would be so boring. Hyperbole adds excitement to a piece of literature.

Here is an example of a hyperbole used in one of Shakespeare's pieces of literature:
(Note: The hyperbole comes late in the scene so you can go ahead and skip most of the reading if you want.)

Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 2

William Shakespeare 

SCENE II. The same. 

    Enter LADY MACBETH 

LADY MACBETH:

    That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold; 
    What hath quench'd them hath given me fire. 
    Hark! Peace! 
    It was the owl that shriek'd, the fatal bellman, 
    Which gives the stern'st good-night. He is about it: 
    The doors are open; and the surfeited grooms 
    Do mock their charge with snores: I have drugg'd 
    their possets, 
    That death and nature do contend about them, 
    Whether they live or die. 

MACBETH:

    [Within] Who's there? what, ho! 

LADY MACBETH:

    Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, 
    And 'tis not done. The attempt and not the deed 
    Confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready; 
    He could not miss 'em. Had he not resembled 
    My father as he slept, I had done't. 

    Enter MACBETH 
    My husband! 

MACBETH:

    I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise? 

LADY MACBETH:

    I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. 
    Did not you speak? 

MACBETH:

    When? 

LADY MACBETH:

    Now. 

MACBETH:

    As I descended? 

LADY MACBETH:

    Ay. 

MACBETH:

    Hark! 
    Who lies i' the second chamber? 

LADY MACBETH:

    Donalbain. 

MACBETH:

    This is a sorry sight. 

    Looking on his hands 

LADY MACBETH:

    A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. 

MACBETH:

    There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one cried 
    'Murder!' 
    That they did wake each other: I stood and heard them: 
    But they did say their prayers, and address'd them 
    Again to sleep. 

LADY MACBETH:

    There are two lodged together. 

MACBETH:

    One cried 'God bless us!' and 'Amen' the other; 
    As they had seen me with these hangman's hands. 
    Listening their fear, I could not say 'Amen,' 
    When they did say 'God bless us!' 

LADY MACBETH:

    Consider it not so deeply. 

MACBETH:

    But wherefore could not I pronounce 'Amen'? 
    I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen' 
    Stuck in my throat. 

LADY MACBETH:

    These deeds must not be thought 
    After these ways; so, it will make us mad. 

MACBETH:

    Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more! 
    Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep, 
    Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care, 
    The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, 
    Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, 
    Chief nourisher in life's feast,-- 

LADY MACBETH:

    What do you mean? 

MACBETH:

    Still it cried 'Sleep no more!' to all the house: 
    'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor 
    Shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more.' 

LADY MACBETH:

    Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, 
    You do unbend your noble strength, to think 
    So brainsickly of things. Go get some water, 
    And wash this filthy witness from your hand. 
    Why did you bring these daggers from the place? 
    They must lie there: go carry them; and smear 
    The sleepy grooms with blood. 

MACBETH:

    I'll go no more: 
    I am afraid to think what I have done; 
    Look on't again I dare not. 

LADY MACBETH:

    Infirm of purpose! 
    Give me the daggers: the sleeping and the dead 
    Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhood 
    That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, 
    I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal; 
    For it must seem their guilt. 

    Exit. Knocking within 

MACBETH:

    Whence is that knocking? 
    How is't with me, when every noise appals me? 
    What hands are here? ha! they pluck out mine eyes. 
    Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
    Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather 
    The multitudinous seas in incarnadine, 
    Making the green one red. 

    Re-enter LADY MACBETH 

LADY MACBETH:

    My hands are of your colour; but I shame 
    To wear a heart so white. 

    Knocking within 
    I hear a knocking 
    At the south entry: retire we to our chamber; 
    A little water clears us of this deed: 
    How easy is it, then! Your constancy 
    Hath left you unattended. 

    Knocking within 
    Hark! more knocking. 
    Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us, 
    And show us to be watchers. Be not lost 
    So poorly in your thoughts. 

MACBETH:

    To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself. 

    Knocking within 
    Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst! 

    Exeunt

Congratulations! You've read a scene from Macbeth by William Shakespeare but anyways, back to the topic: hyperbole.

In this piece the hyperbole was, "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?" which is an extreme example of hyperbole. A small amount of water could have washed the blood away but Macbeth wanted all the water in the ocean to wash it off. Shakepeare gave off a "guilty" tone in this scene. After Macbeth murdered someone he wished to to forget what what happened. He said he wanted to wash the blood off his hands which means he wish he did not murder. Reading this scene makes me feel distressed because Macbeth feels so bad for what he has done.

Hyperbole can also be found in poems. Here is a great example:

Homework

Homework! Oh, Homework!
I hate you! You stink!
I wish I could wash you away in the sink,
if only a bomb
would explode you to bits.
Homework! Oh, homework!
You're giving me fits.

I'd rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework,
my teacher assigns.

Homework! Oh, homework!
you're last on my list,
I simple can't see
why you even exist,
if you just disappeared
it would tickle me pink.
Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!

Jack Prelutsky

This poet packed this entire poem with hyperbole just to explain how much he hated it. A simple, "I dislike homework very much" would have been fine... but boring. Instead he took the more detailed and fun way and exaggerated to the max. One hyperbole he used was, "If only a Bomb would blow you to bits". This line was a HUGE hyperbole. An entire bomb is not needed to blow up a single sheet of paper when all that is need may be as little as a single match stick. Using this hyperbole just shows how much Jack Prelutsky hates homework.
The author expressed his angry in this poem and I felt it. I feel it because I too hate homework very much. Reading this poem makes me think about homework and it pisses me off a bit... 

But anyways. to sum up hyperbole in four words, the word would be "exaggeration to the MAX". Plain and simple.