Simile

what is simile
A simile (/ˈsɪməli/) is a figure of speech that directly compares two things.^[1][2] Although similes and metaphors are similar, similes explicitly use connecting words (such as like, as, so, than, or various verbs such as resemble),^[1] though these specific words are not always necessary.^[3] While similes are mainly used in forms of poetry that compare the inanimate and the living, there are also terms in which similes and personifications are used for humorous purposes and comparison.
 
Examples of simile in a sentence

1. But Dickens finds the unexpected detail, the vivid simile. Think of Joe Gargery in Great Expectations, “with eyes of such a very undecided blue that they seemed to have somehow got mixed with their own whites.” Or, in David Copperfield, Dora's cousin “in the Life-Guards, with such long legs that he looked like the afternoon shadow of somebody else.” —James Wood, New Republic, 14 Dec. 1998
2. After the internship year, doctors assume greater responsibility for directing patient care. Dr. Shockcor at West Virginia offered a homely simile: “It's like working in a factory, putting doors on cars. I'm now responsible that the doors get put on right, whereas as an intern I had to make sure I had a door in my hands and didn't miss a car going by.” —Michael Harwood, New York Times Magazine, 3 June1984
3. “She's as fierce as a tiger” is a simile, but “She's a tiger when she's angry” is a metaphor.
   
   
    
   Function of Simile
   From the above discussion, we can infer the function of similes both in our everyday life as well as in literature. Using similes attracts the attention and appeals directly to the senses of listeners or readers encouraging their imagination to comprehend what is being communicated. In addition, it inspires life-like quality in our daily talks and in the characters of fiction or poetry. Simile allows readers to relate the feelings of a writer or a poet to their personal experiences. Therefore, the use of similes makes it easier for the readers to understand the subject matter of a literary text, which may have been otherwise too demanding to be comprehended. Like metaphors, similes also offer variety in our ways of thinking and offers new perspectives of viewing the world.
   
   
   
   Reference :
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simile
   http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simile
   http://literarydevices.net/simile/