As a child, I read somewhere that God gave humanity metaphor to help us better understand the world. But we don’t need religion to see that the more complex or powerful a sensation, the more words fail us. That’s why we use comparisons: Simile and metaphor can be far more effective than mere adjectives in communicating what we feel. When we evoke a familiar sensation, our listeners and readers can grasp that meaning instantly. Similes begin with “like” or “as” This story is from Kinfolk Issue Thirty-Four Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 40 Mixed Metaphors Let’s get our ducks on the same page. Arts & Culture Issue 50 Close Knit Meet the weavers keeping traditional Egyptian tapestrymaking alive. Arts & Culture Issue 50 The Old Gays Inside a Californian TikTok “content house” of a very different stripe. Arts & Culture Issue 50 New Roots The Palestinian art and agriculture collective sowing seeds of community. Arts & Culture Issue 50 Angela Trimbur An all-out tour de force. Arts & Culture Issue 50 Peace & Quiet In the UK, a centuries-old Quaker meeting house encourages quiet reflection.
Arts & Culture Issue 50 Close Knit Meet the weavers keeping traditional Egyptian tapestrymaking alive.
Arts & Culture Issue 50 The Old Gays Inside a Californian TikTok “content house” of a very different stripe.
Arts & Culture Issue 50 New Roots The Palestinian art and agriculture collective sowing seeds of community.
Arts & Culture Issue 50 Peace & Quiet In the UK, a centuries-old Quaker meeting house encourages quiet reflection.
