In a representational simile (tashbīh tamthīlī), the common feature is a composite configuration produced by several interacting elements. Simply mentioning several objects does not turn a simile into tamthīl; the key is whether the likeness resides in a distinct property or the structure of a whole scene.
Comparing a scattered community to a broken chain whose links no longer hold together involves more than the abstract idea of separation. It evokes a complex relation among the disconnected parts and the loss of the original configuration.