What literary device is used when a person's characteristics or feelings are described by comparing them to a different object or idea, such as "She is a tiger when she is angry"?

The statement "She is a tiger when she is angry" employs a metaphor, as it directly equates the person to a tiger, suggesting that she embodies the fierce and aggressive characteristics associated with that animal when experiencing anger. A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes an implicit comparison between two unrelated things by stating that one is the other, illustrating a quality or feeling without using "like" or "as." This allows a deeper understanding of the person’s emotional state by linking it to the well-known attributes of a tiger, enriching the imagery and emotional resonance of the description.

In contrast, a simile typically uses "like" or "as" to make a comparison between two different things, while an analogy explains an idea by comparing it to something more familiar. Personification attributes human qualities to non-human entities. None of these options serve the purpose of the statement as effectively as a metaphor does, highlighting the strength and intensity of anger in a vivid way.