American Literature / Unit 1 AML 0025 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Simile and Metaphor: Tenor and Vehicle
Captions available
The idea
A metaphor asserts that one thing is another; a simile makes the comparison explicit with "like" or "as", the glossary calling it a type of metaphor. The thing talked about is the tenor, the thing compared to it the vehicle. An ingenious extended metaphor is a conceit.
In practice
Tenor is subject; vehicle is borrowed image.
Where people slip
A simile is a metaphor wearing a signpost.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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