When should you use less? And when should you use fewer?
This will be a short one because it’s very easy to explain.
This is one of those things you might know subconsciously because it sounds
right a certain way. Most of the time it comes naturally, but many people do
get it wrong, so here’s a quick reminder:
Fewer should be used when the subject can be counted and is plural (preceded by “are/were”)
– there are fewer apples, there were fewer trees, etc.
And less should be used when the subject is singular and can't be counted (preceded by “is/was”) – there is less water, there was less pain, etc.
But if you watch Game of Thrones you probably know this already. Thanks, Stannis.
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These four literary devices are roughly the same as each other, but with some
varying aspects. Each of them will draw comparisons between things to help the
reader further understand the meaning or impact of what is written, but they each
do this differently. Allegories in particular are quite different to the other
three, as they are far more subtle and symbolic, lacking the “clear comparison”
aspect.
Metaphor:
A metaphor involves saying that one thing is another thing, when it actually isn’t.
The comparison is implicit, so it often says A is B, rather than A is like B. This
often means metaphors sound illogical and ridiculous, but it’s usually clear
when a metaphor is a metaphor, so we embrace the idea it is expressing.
Examples:
The job interview was a breeze.
My face is a canvas.
The world is a stage.
He is my rock.
Analogy:
An analogy is basically a metaphor, but takes it a step further by extending
the comparison. Therefore, an analogy is more of an argument than a figure of
speech. Metaphors and similes are figures of speech, and analogies are often
made up of them both. Or, as Britta so simply put, “it’s a thought with another
thought’s hat on”.
Examples:
- “Politicians are puppets, and we are the audience. We don’t see the strings, so
we just believe whatever we see, and we don’t know who is really putting on the
show.”
- The best example, though, is the famous Forrest Gump quote: “My momma always
said life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.”
Simile:
A simile is basically a metaphor, but with the words “like” or “as” chucked in
there for clarity. This makes it explicit rather than implicit.
Examples:
We’re as close as two peas in a pod.
She’s as light as a feather.
The sun’s warmth is like a blanket.
When people bring their bins in from the street, they rumble like thunder. (Is
this just an Aussie thing? Is it just me?)
Allegory:
Allegories are implicit and symbolic. They aren’t spelled out for the reader
like the metaphors and similes and analogies. They exist in many forms of art
where one story is clearly told, but an alternate meaning or idea can be found within
it. This isn’t usually identified within the work, as it is more open to the
audience’s interpretation. It’s up to the audience to draw their own
comparisons by noting familiar themes, and so on.
Examples:
- Some might say Star Trek is an allegory for racial diversity and general discrimination,
as it involves a number of different alien races all interacting and clashing
in various contexts. The same might be said about X-Men, as it also shows those
who are marginalised for being different. This could be a hint at any kind of
discrimination, such as homosexuality, even though they focus on aliens and mutants.
This is an allegory.
- Another example I like to refer to is The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien wrote
about trees waking up and marching to destroy the home of the man who destroyed
them for the purpose of building machines and creating armies. If that isn’t an
allegory for the industrial revolution and destruction of our forests, I don’t
know what is. There are many more you can find within LOTR that relate to war, greed, etc. But Tolkien never liked allegories for his stories anyway. That is perhaps indicative of the allegory - it is often only open to the interpretation of the audience.
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