Figurative language and implied belief: Understanding the sentence "Like a mad man, I decided to follow him" and deciding which assumption is implicit

Given data

• Statement: Like a mad man, I decided to follow him.
• Assumption I: The speaker is not actually a mad man.
• Assumption II: The speaker is a mad man.

Concept/Approach

Similes ('like a mad man') compare behavior while implying the subject is not literally that thing.

Step-by-Step reasoning1) The construction indicates resemblance, not identity ⇒ I is implicit.2) II directly contradicts the sense of the simile; it is not implied.

Verification/Alternative

If the speaker were actually mad, the natural phrasing would omit 'like' and say 'being a mad man...'

Common pitfalls

• Misreading figurative speech as literal classification.

Final AnswerOnly assumption I is implicit.