Student Question
Is the statement from The Lovely Bones on page 186 a metaphor or a simile?
Quick answer:
The statement from page 186 of The Lovely Bones is a simile. A simile explicitly compares two things using the words "like" or "as." In the provided text, the phrase "It is like a flower or like the sun" uses "like," making it a simile. This distinguishes it from a metaphor, which implies a comparison without using "like" or "as."
The Alice Sebold novel, "Lovely Bones," is about a 14 year-old girl named Susie Salmon. Susie has been murdered and while in heaven can see her friends and family still living. She sees their struggles to solve her murder and sees their pain and sorrow. Susie follows the map and arrives at the field. She meets Flora Hernandez who tells her the others will be there soon.
"And as Flora twirled, other girls and women came through the field in all directions. Our heartache poured into one another like water from cup to cup. Each time I told my story, I lost a bit, the smallest drop of pain. It was that day that I knew I wanted to tell the story of my family; Because horror on Earth is real and it is every day. It is like a flower or like the sun; it cannot be contained."
The quotation...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
Both simile and metaphor are types of literary devices used to compare one thing to another. The difference is whether the difference is explicitly stated, or is implied. In a simile, the difference is stated; a simile uses a word such as "like" or "as". Metaphors are not quite so obvious. Two things are compared, but in a way that does not directly state the comparison. Your example uses the word "like", and is therefore a simile.
Love is a rose--metaphor.
Love is like a rose--simile.