Introduction to Literary Analogies

Definition: An analogy is a comparison of an unfamiliar object or idea to a familiar one in an attempt to explain or illuminate the unfamiliar. Extended analogies may be used in literary compositions in order to communicate a complicated concept in relatable terms.

For example, in the previous reading of “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King, Jr., introduced the analogy presented below:

“Beyond this, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the eighth-century prophets left their little villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their hometowns; and just as the Apostle Paul left his little village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every hamlet and city of the Greco-Roman world, I too am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my particular hometown. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.”

As with any analogical argument, this one seeks to establish as many relevant similarities as possible between Martin Luther King's case (coming to Birmingham to fight injustice) and previous, presumably acceptable cases of moral acts (the prophets of the 8th ct., the Apostle Paul). Just as Paul responded “to the Macedonian call for aid”, Martin Luther King, Jr. responded to Birmingham, Alabama’s call for aid. 1.)Find another example of an analogy that King uses in “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Write an explanation of the analogy below:

2.) Think about a concept that is not familiar to you on a daily basis (death, life, major changes) and write it below: a.) ______

Examining and thinking about the answer you wrote in the blank above, think of an object, everyday idea, or familiar situation that you can relate to the answer you provided. Write down this object, idea, or situation on the blank below: b.)______

How is the answer provided in part “a” analogous to the answer in part “b”? Write down your reasoning and your perceived connections below in paragraph form: