Monday, October 17, 2011

Metaphor



Metaphors are commonly used as a literary element in literature. A metaphor is comparing something we have well information about with something we don't know anything about, in order for us to get a better understanding on the subject we're not too familiar with. Some may confuse or interpret a metaphor to be a simile but its not unlike similes when a metaphor compares two things it makes them out "a to be situation," as for a simile which compares to things and makes them out to be "a like or as situation." For example "Political Science is the study of Politics." Another example maybe "The sun is a star."  Metaphors are broken down into eight different categories or forms which are simile, personification, anthropomorphism, hyperbole, parable, fable, animism, and analogy." 

Another fast way to understand a metaphor is being able to substitute a person's feelings, thoughts, and emotions with a word that can basically illuminate the readers interest or in other words that could jump out to grabs the reader's attention. For example " her hair is wild as a jungle." This example is of simile. 

Metaphors are mostly populated in poetry. In order for one to understand metaphors well one must have a high level of vocabulary and interpretation. Also according to Understanding The basics of metaphors in poetry written by Gary Smith, states that in order for one to understand metaphors in poetry the poem must obtain sustained metaphor. Sustained metaphor means it constantly plays throughout the poem, by using this method it would be easier for the reader to interpret what a metaphor is or have a higher of tolerance towards metaphors.     

Analogy is the comparison of two pairs which have the same relationship. For example "hot is to cold as fire is to ice OR hot:cold::fire:ice." This example is a form of analogy because it is showing the relationship between between hot and cold and also ice and fire, and in order for one to comprehend the method of analogy one must know how to determine a relationship and how two things are connected in a relationship.

Animism is attribution of conscious life to objects in and phenomena of nature or to inanimate objects. For example Mickey Mouse can speak. This is a animism because mouses can't speak so in another form animism is a different way of explaining personification.

Anthropomorphism is an interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics. For example the gods, like Zeus, Jupiter, etc.; have special powers as well as human emotions. The gods are an example of anthropomorphism because they already have divine powers then we strap-on human like qualities and make another shortcut to personification!   

Fable is a fictitious narrative or statement. For example The Three Little Pigs and The Wolf are teaching one lessons off of an short story. The Three Little Pigs and The Wolf are a great example of fables in metaphors because at the end of the story it gives you a lesson and a sense of learning and wisdom. 

Hyperbole is exaggeration or overstatement. For example "I'm so hungry I can eat a horse." This sentence is a example of hyperbole because it basically showing that this person is really hungry and it's basically exaggerating the person's feeling of hunger.  

Parable is a usually short fictitious story that illustrates amoral or religious principle. For example the Fig Tree, Good Samaritan, and Invited to the Supper. These examples are parables straight from the bible, they are both short and religious stories.

Personification is giving human qualities to animals or objects. For example "the chair screamed at him s he was try to take a seat." This sentence is a form of personification because its literary giving the chair human-like qualities such as speak. 

Simile is the comparison of two unlike things using like or as. For example "her mind is open as a door." This is an example of simile because the quotation is comparing the girl's open mind to a door being open, so it's not directly saying her mind is a door but it is comparing the door to her mind or way of thinking.

As we talk more about metaphors we catch more of greater tolerance as we read the poem Joy and Play by Star Fields. In the poem Joy, Star says, "Amidst the frozen white, a tiny tip of green, first 
blade of grass, the messenger of spring. " Without directly saying these are signs or motions that 
spring is arriving, she simple states that the signs is basically a messenger. And in the poem 
Play says, "Random raindrops on the window pane.Touch them with your finger tip - but there's 
the barrier of glass.You know that if you wanted to become involved you should be on the other 
side." It mainly points out the metaphor, which is the window plays a barrier with the person and 
the rain but in order to get in contact with the rain this person must cross the barrier or in other 
words open the window.


Well another way one can get a common understanding of metaphors is by breaking into a simile. 
In my example I will use the picture of an Elephant In Hard Times by Cheney. In this picture it gives 
a great metaphor, "An elephant is like a repossessed S.U.V." Which means a stated one the elephant 
is big and so is the S.U.V. and two an S.U.V. in hard times obviously means you can't take care 
of the car which in this case the body parts of an elephant can resemble a car. So poor accommodation
equals to poor maintenance of the elephant.


Personification is another good example of metaphors, in the poem Games by Sharon Hendricks it 
shows a serious example of personification. "Chipmunks chatter and scurry, Blue jays scream and scold.  
Robins talk and gossip demanding their story to be told. Squirrels skip and box one another and rabbits 
play hop scotch. The games they play, the sounds they make, Really are top notch." This is a form of 
personification because the chipmunks and squirrels are showing human like qualities.


Also in metaphors one can interpret the message through Fables such as The Ant and the Grasshopper 
by Scott Roberto. In the fable it ends up giving the reader a lesson which is, one mustn't be lazy in time
of preparation because if so then in time need one might go through desperate measures in order to get 
whats needed.


As many metaphors can be found in the works of Emily Dickinson. For example in the poem, Hope
Is the thing with Features she personifies that hope, "sings the tune without the words," which in many
cases is true. It is like a force without a push. This is a simple example of a simile.

Another poem by Emily Dickinson could be The Mountain. The metaphor is the first two lines, 
"The mountain sat upon the plain, In his eternal chair." Which means the mountain stays in place
because that's basically its permanent spot, it's not moving any time sooner. This is a good example of 
personification. 

The poem by E. Cummings is simply short but complicated to understand the first time you see it! But
the meaning is very on point. When he says, "Loneliness(a leaf falls)." He might mean that loneliness 
can be compared like a single leaf falling, because no matter how many leaves fall there isn't a leaf that 
has a partner which falls with it.

Metaphors can also be used in ones life, such as one speaking can always use metaphor to explain 
struggles, and hard time. For example, the poem A Battle by Leonard Holmes. This poem really 
compares to me and others, because it clearly states the obvious. "Everything is a competition or a 
struggle. We are always winning or losing." Which is basically true nobody is guaranteed to be number 
one in everything. Sometimes one must lose in order to learn about life and it's obstacles.





 

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