Essay writing hints - Drawing Analogies

An analogy is the special writing technique that involves a kind of comparison with the intent to explain something that is unknown in a way that is easy to know, and that explains the unfamiliar in such a way that is becomes familiar. These writing techniques are widely used in college level essay papers. A good analogy will make it easier to understand a complicated subject and help the reader look at something common in a new light. Analogies can be incorporated and used with any other writing technique as they are not a form of writing in and of themselves but rather a tool that can be used to improve on your writing.

An analogy works by comparing the topic you are writing about to something that is more relateable. A car engine can be compared to how a heart works and being successful in college can be compared to climbing a ladder to greater heights. To discover what analogies might work for your essays, you will need to apply an "as if" attitude to the topic you are writing about. Try to see it as if it is something else entirely. In each case, ask yourself, "What is it like?"

1. Moving to a new neighborhood- it is like landing on a new planet or discovering a hidden city
2. Starting a new job – it is like learning to speak a new language
3. Quitting a job – it can be seen as if it taking off on a new adventure in an unknown land
4. Reading a good book - it is like taking off and visiting a new world while never leaving home
5. Getting out of debt – it can be seen as if you drop a heavy burden and no longer have to carry it
6. Losing a close friend – it is like having a physical part of your body cut off
7. Leaving home for the first time - it can be seen as if it is starting to write a new chapter of your life
8. Making a speech – it is like facing a great fear with bravery and confidence
9. Dealing with success – it is like winning the lottery or winning first place
10. Dealing with failure – it is like losing the race or struggling to keep going when you stumble and fall
11. Being in a car accident – it is like seeing your life flash before your eyes
12. Getting up in the morning – it can be seen as if it is one of the most difficult tasks of the day
13. Resisting peer pressure – it is like facing a raging storm and standing firm on your own foundation
14. Choosing a college major – it can be seen as if it is planning out a world tour trip
15. Having a baby – it is like seeing the world through a different pair of glasses