“Mom, I need to think of a good analogy for my Language Arts class tomorrow,” Sarah says as she enters the living room.
“What is an analogy?” Sarah’s mom asks.
“Well, an analogy is a comparison between two unlike things that function similarly,” Sarah explains confidently.
“That is absolutely right, Sarah,” Sarah’s mom sounds pleased. “I can see that you have been paying attention in class. Could you please give me some examples to illustrate this definition?” Sarah’s mom prompts.
“Well, for example a comparison between the heart and a pump should make for a good analogy. First of all, the heart and the pump are dissimilar in so many ways. The heart is a muscle, and the pump is a mechanical device. However, regardless of their dissimilarities, they are somewhat alike in their structure and functions. They both have valves and work similarly.” Sarah rattles off.
“That is a very good example. Can you think of another?” Sarah’s mother asks. “Well, another could be the comparison between a major city and an ant hill. Even though both are very unlike, they function similarly. Above all, they look overcrowded and busy, and their residents appear to be constantly on the go, jostling against each other, caught up in the frantic hustle and bustle of daily life.” Sarah says with confidence.
“Wow, Sarah, that is a wonderful analogy!” Sarah’s mom exclaims excitedly. “It seems to me you have understood the concept well. Have you thought of your own original analogy yet?” Sarah’s mom asks in a reassuring tone.
“Well, I could not help noticing that one of our science teams is very quarrelsome and contentious. They are always arguing about their experiments and who should do what, and they can never resolve their issues among themselves without pulling in our science teacher. It is funny, but the way they get so passionate and worked up over stuff makes me think of a hornets' nest or an agitated wasp hive.
“Oh, that sounds like a good analogy!” Sarah’s mom exclaims.
“I have another one. Writing is like building a pyramid from scratch on your own, or like climbing up Everest. I definitely want to give the exercise some further thought and come up with as many analogies as possible,” Sarah says.
“Splendid idea!” Sarah’s mom responds enthusiastically.
“Then I will run them by you, and you will let me know what you think,” Sarah says. “That certainly sounds a very good approach to me,” her mother agrees.
“In the meantime, though, I have a question for you. Why do you think we are studying analogies?” Sarah asks in earnest.
“Well, we do because reasoning through such comparisons, or reasoning by analogy, plays a significant role in explanation, understanding, and communication. In addition, memory, creativity, and emotion heavily draw on analogies. Above all, it is an important part of problem solving, decision making, and scientific reasoning. In not so many words, it is at the heart of all learning. Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, said that the ability to see connections among disparate things is a sign of genius.” Sarah’s mother explains.
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