Juxtaposition and Analogy

the placing of very different things or ideas side by side to emphasize how they are alike or different

• juxtaposition

• analogy

comparison that shows a surprising similarity between two different ideas or things; makes complex ideas clearer to readers

• juxtaposition

• analogy

Why might a heart surgeon explain to a patient that a human heart is like a pump?

• to contrast the workings of a heart with the workings of a pump

• to use a comparison to explain the way a heart functions

Why would a poet most likely juxtapose the glossy auburn curls on a child's head while the grandfather's grizzly gray beard?

• to contrast youth and old age

• to compare types of hair

Why might an engineer explain a circuit board as being like the map of a city?

• to emphasize that we live in a digital age dependent on circuit boards

• to describe the connections and complexity of circuit boards

What might an environmental essayist juxtapose a landfill and a wilderness?

• to stress the need for reducing waste to save the wilderness

• to demonstrate that wilderness is the best place to put landfills

Why might an author compare a spelling bee to a tough political campaign?

• to clarify the rules of a spelling bee

• to emphasize the degree of competition

The lumber company cleared the wide, dusty, barren forest path, leaving, on either side, the remaining tall deep-green Douglas fir trees awaiting their turn.

• juxtaposition

• analogy

Like knights of medieval times, the armadillos have their own armor, a thick, tough shell to protect them from their enemies.

• juxtaposition

• analogy

As the butterfly emerges from its cocoon, so must you leave your comfort zone and experience the wider world.

• juxtaposition

• analogy