Metaphor

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Metaphor

The Metaphor is a figure of speech in which an comparison is made between two unlike things. Metaphors are an important form of writing we use to connect things, They are used in life to help us understand things they also help us in literature. An example of a Metaphor:"But my heart is a lonely hunter that hunts on a lonely hill." (William Sharp, "The Lonely Hunter"), the metaphor in the quote is heart is a lonely hunter bringing a relation to two unlike things. "Men's words are bullets, that their enemies take up and make use of against them." (George Savile, Maxims), In this example George Savile is bringing relation to a mans words and bullets by saying they can both be used by their enemies against them "Memory is a crazy woman that hoards colored rags and throws away food." (Austin O'Malley, Keystones of Thought) Austin O'Malley is making a connection with memory and a crazy woman.

Other Metaphors are...

The Simile is the comparison of two unlike things using "like" or "as." We can remember that the only difference between a metaphor and a simile is in a metaphor we don't use "like" and "as", For example:"Life is LIKE an onion: You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep."(Carl Sandburg) the simile is comparing life and an onion by using the word like. "Good coffee is LIKE friendship: rich and warm and strong."(slogan of Pan-American Coffee Bureau) in this example good coffee and friend ship are also being compared by the word like. "She dealt with moral problems AS a cleaver deals with meat. "(James Joyce, "The Boarding House") A person is dealing with moral problems compared to a cleaver dealing with mean by using the word as it is a simile.

Personification is giving human qualities to animals or objects. Because personification involves making a comparison, it can be viewed as a special kind of simile or metaphor.for example, "The thunder grumbled like an old man." the thunder which is the non living thing is grumbling like an old man therefore this is a quote using personification by taking a person and a non living object and making a connection of grumbling. "My computer throws a fit every time I try to use it." The computer being the object is throwing a fit which is something humans do also personification. "He did not realize that his last chance was walking out the door." Chance is non living the personification in this quote is chance walking.

Anthropomorphism: God relates to us in human terms. Therefore, an anthropomorphism is when God appears to us in human form or how we idealize him. for example "hes a jealous god" in this example i just gave god a human characteristic (jealousy).another example is "Thor is very moody today" or "god is beautiful." both quotes put gods in human form.

Hyperbole: is exaggeration or overstatement. used to make a point. They would not be used in nonfiction works, like medical journals or research papers, but are perfect for fictional works, especially to add color to a character or humor to the story. Hyperbole's are comparisons, like similes and metaphors, but are extravagant and even ridiculous. for example “It was so cold, I saw polar bears wearing jackets” i don't know about you but i have seen a lot of cold days but never have i heard of polar bears in jackets or any other form of clothing. “she is so dumb, she thinks Taco Bell is a Mexican phone company” we all know taco bell is a food service. "If I can’t buy that new game, I will die." a game can not kill you u may care for it a lot or really want it but it wont kill you.

fable: is a succinct fictional story, a story that is not true features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature. "The poet Hesiod tells a fable of Zeus creating a race of bronze men from ashes."

Analogy: An analogy is a likeness or a comparison between two things that have some features that are the same and others which are different , Analogy can be a simile, where two things are compared using the words “as” or “like.” an example "You are as annoying as nails on a chalkboard." You must be pretty annoying for someone to say that. "There are plenty of fish in the sea." meaning there are may people in the world, unless you are really a fish.

In the poem "Peace" the first two lines, "The wind is now a roaring, smashing monster of destruction," is personification because wind which is not living is roaring and became a monster is something that humans or animals do. the poem "joy" a metaphor is used "Amidst the frozen white, a tiny tip of green, first blade of grass, the messenger of spring." describing how spring is coming.

The poem "Hard Times" a picture of an elephant with five blind men surrounding it they all are using similes to relate the elephant to their financial problems. One blind man is holding the trunk of the elephant and saying "An elephant is like a empty oil pipeline" The trunk feels like a empty pipe to the blind man because in hard times we have no oil the pipes are empty. Another man is on top of the elephant holding its ear he says "An elephant is like a stack of foreclosure notices" To the man the ear is wrinkled it feels like stacked up paper. in hard times you may see a lot of foreclosure notices.

In the poem "Games" there are many examples of personification "Robins talk and gossip demanding their story to be told." "Squirrels skip and box one another and rabbits play hop scotch." "Chipmunks chatter and scurry," all are giving animals a human form.

The fable "The wolf in sheep clothing" there are many metaphors A Wolf found a difficult time getting to the sheep, But one day it found the skin of a sheep that had been thrown aside, so it put in on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep. He succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying hearty meals.

Another poem using metaphors is "Success Is Counted Sweetest" by Emily Dickinson. The poem is explaining how success is sweet to those who encounters it. Using personification Dickinson is taking the idea of success and victory, Animating them by giving them an realation to being sweet, "Success is counted sweetest." And a flag for victory, "Who took the flag today Can tell the definition, So clear, of victory." "The Stone," Another poem Emily Dickinson wrote again uses personification by giving a stone emotions "How happy is the little stone That rambles in the road alone, And doesn't care about careers"