AP English Literature AMSCO Guided Notes
2.4: Similes and Metaphors
AP English Literature Guided Notes
AMSCO 2.4 - Similes and Metaphors
Essential Questions
- What are the functions of similes and metaphors?
I. Similes and Metaphors
1. What is figurative language and how does it differ from literal language in poetry?
2. What is the purpose of figures of speech in transferring meaning from the literal to the figurative?
A. Similes
1. What is a simile and what words does it use to make comparisons between two subjects?
2. In a simile, which qualities transfer from the comparison subject to the main subject and which do not?
3. How do similes awaken responses in readers compared to using literal language?
1. The Relationship of the Compared Subjects
1. Why is the transference of qualities in a simile partial rather than complete?
2. In Robert Burns's simile comparing love to a red rose, what qualities transfer and what qualities do not transfer?
B. Metaphors
1. What is a metaphor and how does it differ from a simile in how it makes comparisons?
2. Why do metaphors often surprise or enlighten readers, and what role do readers' experiences play in interpreting them?
1. Implicit Comparisons
1. In 'The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner,' what implicit comparison does Jarrell make and what effect does this comparison create?
2. How does the Romeo and Juliet balcony scene use the equation 'Juliet is the sun' to convey meaning through context?
3. What is the difference between a metaphor that names both subjects and one that requires readers to unpack the comparison?
Key Terms
figurative language
simile
metaphor
figures of speech