Function of Simile: Short Fiction - AP English Literature and Composition

Identify the primary function: "She moved through the room like a shadow."

Characterization: it suggests stealth, quietness, or avoidance. "Shadow" reveals her desire to remain unnoticed.
Which option best describes a weak simile: cliché comparison or original comparison?

Cliché comparison. Overused comparisons lack impact and originality.
Identify the vehicle in the simile: "Her thoughts raced like wild horses."

Wild horses. The vehicle is what the tenor is compared to.
Identify the figure of speech: "The classroom was as silent as a tomb."

Simile. Uses "as...as" construction to compare classroom to tomb.
What is the key difference between a simile and a metaphor?

A simile uses "like/as"; a metaphor asserts identity. Metaphors state "X is Y"; similes say "X is like/as Y."
Which option best identifies a simile marker: "as if" or "therefore"?

"As if". "Therefore" shows causation, not comparison.
What is the most accurate way to explain a simile's function in a thesis statement?

State the effect (tone/character/theme) created by the comparison. Focus on literary impact rather than just identifying the device.
What is the most common function of a simile in prose style?

To clarify and intensify description through comparison. Makes abstract qualities tangible through familiar comparisons.
What is the term for the thing being described in a simile?

The tenor (the subject being compared). Literary term for the main subject in a comparison.
Which option best states the function of a simile: plot summary or interpretive effect?

Interpretive effect. Similes create meaning beyond literal description.
What is a simile, as a figure of speech, in literary analysis?

A comparison using "like" or "as" between unlike things. Distinguishes similes from metaphors by their explicit comparison markers.
What does the term "vehicle" mean when analyzing a simile?

The image used for comparison to illuminate the subject. In literary terms, it "carries" meaning to the tenor.
Identify the primary function: "After the verdict, relief spread like sunlight."

Mood: it conveys warmth and broad, sudden emotional release. "Sunlight" suggests positive, expansive feelings.
Identify the tenor in the simile: "Her thoughts raced like wild horses."

Her thoughts. The tenor is what's being described by the comparison.
Identify the simile in the sentence: "The street, like a river, carried noise downhill."

"The street, like a river, carried noise downhill". The comparison phrase includes both marker and complete comparison.
Identify the function of the simile: "His voice shook like a loose windowpane."

To convey fragility and instability in the speaker's voice. The windowpane image makes the voice's trembling physically tangible.
What function of a simile most directly contributes to imagery?

It creates sensory detail by linking an abstract idea to a concrete image. Similes translate abstract concepts into tangible, sensory experiences.
What function does a simile often serve when it compares something abstract to something physical?

It makes the abstract concept concrete and imaginable. Helps readers grasp intangible ideas through physical experience.
What function of a simile most directly establishes tone?

It shapes attitude through the connotations of the comparison. The vehicle's associations create emotional atmosphere.
What function of a simile most directly affects pacing or emphasis in a sentence?

It slows the moment to spotlight a key detail or reaction. Extended comparisons create pauses for emphasis.
Which option is a simile: "Her smile is sunshine" or "Her smile is like sunshine"?

"Her smile is like sunshine". The first is a metaphor (direct equation); the second uses "like."
What is the term for the image used to compare to the subject in a simile?

The vehicle (the comparison image). Literary term for what the tenor is compared to.
Identify the figure of speech: "Her voice was like silk."

Simile. Contains "like," making it an explicit comparison.
Which option is a metaphor, not a simile: "Time is a thief" or "Time is like a thief"?

"Time is a thief". Direct equation ("is") makes it metaphor; "like" would make it simile.
Identify the function of the simile: "She clung to hope as a castaway clings to driftwood."

To emphasize desperation and dependence on hope. The castaway image intensifies the life-or-death quality of hope.
Identify the figure of speech: "Her voice was silk."

Metaphor. Direct equivalence ("was") without comparison words.
What function of a simile most directly develops characterization?

It reveals a speaker's perceptions, values, or emotional state. Characters' chosen comparisons reflect their worldview and feelings.
What function does a simile often serve when describing an emotion indirectly?

It externalizes an internal state through concrete imagery. Translates feelings into sensory experiences readers can visualize.
What is the key distinction between a simile and a metaphor?

Simile uses "like/as"; metaphor asserts identity without them. Metaphors claim direct equivalence ("is"), similes compare ("like/as").
Identify the primary function: "The city hummed like a beehive."

Setting imagery: it conveys crowded, busy, collective activity. "Beehive" creates a vivid image of urban energy.
Which word most reliably signals that a comparison is a simile: "like" or "is"?

"Like". "As" also signals similes, but "like" is more common and reliable.
In "Anger flared like a match," what is the vehicle of the simile?

A match. "Anger" is tenor; "match" is the vehicle (comparison image).
What function of a simile most directly supports theme?

It reinforces an abstract claim by recurring or emblematic comparison. Repeated or symbolic comparisons underscore central ideas.
Identify the primary function: "His apology landed like a stone in water."

Tone and impact: it emphasizes heaviness and awkward silence. "Stone in water" suggests uncomfortable, sinking failure.
What does the term "tenor" mean when analyzing a simile?

The subject being described by the comparison. From Latin "tenere" (to hold)—what holds the comparison's focus.
What function does an unexpected simile often have in short fiction?

It reveals character perspective through distinctive imagery. Shows how characters uniquely perceive their world.
What is the most common function of a simile in prose fiction?

To clarify meaning by making a vivid comparison. Similes make abstract concepts concrete and memorable.
Which words most often signal that a comparison is a simile rather than a metaphor?

"Like" or "as". These comparison words are the defining markers of similes.

Study these flashcards