Speaking: Rhetorical Devices – Simile

Rhetorical devices are a collection of techniques that an author or speaker can use to convey to the listener or reader a meaning. From Dictionary.com we have the following definition:

Rhetorical Device: a use of language that creates a literary effect (but often without regard for literal significance)

Or from Wikipedia we have this explanation of what a rhetorical device is:

A rhetorical device is a technique that an author or speaker uses to convey to the listener or reader a meaning with the goal of persuading him or her towards considering a topic from a different perspective.

There are several different kinds of rhetorical devices, and today we will be looking at one that is called simile.

Again we will turn to Wikipedia for an explanation of what a simile is:

A simile is a figure of speech comparing two unlike things, often introduced with the words “like”, “as”, or “than”.

A simile is very similar to a metaphor; both are forms of comparison. Metaphors compare two things without using “like” or “as,” while a simile allows the two ideas to remain distinct.   For example,  a simile could be “John was like a sun, warming up the room with his presence.”  While a metaphor would be, “John was a sun, warming up the room with his presence”.   In the simile John and Sun are separate ideas, while in the metaphor John is the Sun.

Now that we have a sense of what a simile is and how it is different from a metaphor, the question is:  how can we use it?

As any rhetorical device, it is used to convey your message and emphasize your point.  It is used to paint a picture for the audience to allow them to see things from a different perspective or really understand the point.  It can be used to create a powerful opening for your speech and really get the audience attention.

So think about how you can spice up your speech by adding a simile or two to create powerful imagery.  Use of simile in your speech can be like water, giving life to your message.

More resources and examples on similes can be found here.