Response and explanation: An analogy paragraph consists of three to five lines in which the writer compares and defines two items or concepts (typically extremely different). The purpose of this type of paragraph is to help readers understand what the author means by saying something like, "Dogs are like people. Dogs have feelings too." Or, "Fire is hot, but not hot enough to burn dogs. Fire can also be an effective tool for weeding gardens." These paragraphs help readers understand how dogs are similar to humans and also what actions dogs might take if they had the ability to think and feel.
Analogy paragraphs can be useful in writing essays that discuss things such as history, science, or current events. For example, a writer could use this type of paragraph to explain that dogs have been used in war since ancient times because they served as effective guards and companions. The writer could also use this type of paragraph to describe the effects that fire has on plants by explaining that fire kills some species but also allows others to grow quickly and fill their space. Finally, the writer could use this type of paragraph to discuss how dogs and people differ but also how they are the same. For example, people tend to trust those who care about them, while dogs trust those who show them love.
A comparison of two items to show their similarities is what an analogy is. (Often, the items being compared are physically unlike, but an analogy emphasizes how they are similar.) For example, if I were to compare apples and oranges, I would say that they are both fruits -- although apples are generally thought of as a fruit and oranges are usually considered a vegetable -- and that they have several things in common. These include being edible, having seeds, and growing on trees.
The term "analogy" was first used by Greek philosopher Anaxagoras (c. 500 B.C.E.) to explain natural phenomena. He proposed that everything was made of the same basic elements--earth, air, fire, and water--and that these elements combined to form objects like plants or animals. His idea did not go over well with the other philosophers of his time because it conflicted with their understanding of how things should work. They felt that if all matter was made of the same basic components, then something should be able to produce more of one thing than another, which isn't the case. So they threw out Anaxagoras' ideas about analogy and replaced them with their own theories about cause and effect.
An analogy is a strong rhetorical tactic because it brings an item to life and provides emotional weight to an abstract notion. A comparison is a literary device used to compare two items that have comparable characteristics. The purpose of using this tool is to emphasize the similarities between two things while reducing discussion of their differences. For example, when asked to choose from four options, we can reduce the decision to three by saying that "all of these courses are useful but one should select carefully because they are all very different." Or, "like milk and medicine, theory and practice make up learning - and you will never understand one without understanding them both." Analogy and comparison help us make decisions about which course to take by giving us insight into what other people have done or would like us to do.
Analogy is a very common form of communication in daily life. We use it when explaining something new or difficult by comparing it to something else that is familiar. For example, if someone asks you why you selected history as your course for study, you could say that it is like choosing medicine because you want to help people. History is like medicine because both are broad topics that include many different subjects and skills. History doctors learn how to treat patients by studying them so they can diagnose problems and explain away symptoms similar to those found in people who lived thousands of years ago.
An analogy is a detailed comparison of two items that are typically regarded to be diametrically opposed. Analogies exhibit and explain by contrasting multiple points, each with a counterpoint. They are often used in teaching to clarify concepts by bringing them together in different combinations.
Analogies can be used in writing to enhance the reader's understanding of what you want them to know or do. For example, if you are explaining how something works, you could compare it to something else that the reader may know about. This would make your explanation clearer because now they will understand both objects simultaneously.
There are several types of analogies: visual, verbal, conceptual, mathematical, and logical. Each type of analogy has its own set of rules that must be followed when constructing it. It is important to understand these rules before starting to write analogies because without doing so you may end up using words or phrases that have not been properly defined.
Visual analogies use images to explain ideas. These images can be real or imagined and they can be simple or complicated. When creating a visual analogy, it is important to choose meaningful images that capture the idea being explained. For example, if you were comparing books and magazines, you could use pictures from both genres as well as descriptions of their features to help the reader understand why one item is like the other.