Metaphor Essays (Examples)

1000+ documents containing “metaphor”.


Sort By:

Reset Filters

Metaphors, Similes, Analogies
For most of us, a day without metaphors, similes and analogies is like a day without sunshine. For some of us, certain events or observations leave us at a loss for good descriptive words, and it is in those moments that a well-worn metaphor, simile or analogy is put to use. Specifically, a metaphor is a figure of speech in which an object or idea is used in place of the actual object or idea suggesting an analogy or likeness between the two. A simile compares two objects or ideas often using the word, like. Although some examples can appear to be trite, others can be used as powerful descriptive tools that speak to the unconscious mind by the use of symbols.

In some situations, a metaphor can relay a thought or information while using the fewest word possible. An example of this can be noted in the way….

And yes, an occupational therapist may teach a patient how to hold a glass of milk and savor that nourishment, as I have savored what I have learned, which is simple yet essential.
Important tasks are often taken for granted, like simple, nourishing milk. These simple physical, psychological, and social components of a healthy life are so vital to all human beings, regardless of their personal limitations and challenges. The most potent metaphor I can conceive of to explain the different facets of human life that occupational therapy may touch is the simple act of reaching for a glass of milk. A healthy adult might take this act for granted.

For an elderly person suffering from arthritis, being able to pour milk in a glass without pain is a triumph. For a person in a wheelchair recovering from a severe illness, having a home set up so the milk is stored….

The danger that surrounds Huck and his friends in the book is also exciting, and lends much to the story in many places. It is Huck's first foray into the real world, and through the metaphor of the river, he and his friends get to share some very eye-opening experiences
As the boys travel south, the river becomes more and more dangerous and hostile. Huck and Jim have to endure the duke and dauphin as they try to invade the raft as well as other small skirmishes and escapades. In a thick fog, the two are unable to find the mouth of the Ohio River as it splits from the Mississippi, further dooming them to a southward drift. As they drift they become further enveloped in territory where slavery is common and the human condition is more apparent yet less jovial. There is also a metaphorical drift that Twain exerts….

metaphors in communication allows us to "tap into a richer vein of language and thought." (Kirby et al., 1999, p. 82) They allow us to better describe our world to those around us, than mere description alone, promoting more effective communication. By blending aspects of other ideas and images with the thoughts we are trying to convey, metaphors allow us to bring our ideas to life, and help others have a clearer understanding of the ideas we are trying to convey. In the example below, metaphors not only liven up a description of a somewhat mundane task, but can also add an element of emotion to the description, allowing the reader to feel as if they actually experienced the occurrence.
As the sun scowled down, the parched city below cried out in thirst. Crowds of dust had overtaken the usually lushly lined streets, rioting as impatient cars drove over them….

metaphor has been considered a figure of speech generally used in literary creations in order to make the reader see some of the writer's ideas and visions. However, we could extrapolate this concept to a much higher level and be convinced that the metaphor is also a way of life and a way by which we form associations between our actions and other events in life.
One such example would be the way an argument is almost always described and populated by expressions taken from war and battle. It is only natural that this should be so. One of the most fundamental aspects of our society is the constant fight for supremacy, whether political or economical supremacy, between countries or simple individuals. An argument is also about winning, by nature. As such, expressions such as "using a certain strategy" in an argument or "demolishing arguments" appear to come as natural….

metaphor use by using life compared to sports as its basis. The writer explains why life is more like boxing than it is running track to explore the many metaphoric opportunities the two sports provide regarding human life.
LIFE IS MORE LIKE BOXING THAN RUNNING TRACK

Using metaphoric examples is something that has been done in literature for many years. Metaphoric examples allow the writer to explain situations in terms that may be more easily grasped by the reader. In addition it paints a clear picture of what the writer is trying to say by comparing and contrasting it in various lights using metaphors as the foundation. In describing life it is easy to find many metaphors that could be applied so that the reader will understand the underlying points. Using sports as a metaphoric tool is a technique that authors often used to paint a picture for the reader. Illustrating….


How does language empower or limit the expression of our thoughts?

Thus, one of the empowering aspects of language is that it can enable others to understand our deepest feelings and thoughts, because words and phrases have multiple potential meanings in different contexts. Language can enable us to make logical and emotional analogies and create connections between apparently dissimilar things and ideas we would never see otherwise, if we did not share a common language -- a common language not just of vocabulary, but of the cultural connotations of different words.

But language also can limit our understanding of certain concepts. Take, for instance, the word love. The Greeks had many different words for love, to communicate the different nuances of this concept, such as fraternal love, erotic love, and the love of a pursuit or passion. But we only have one word, and sometimes this causes confusion expressing our feelings to….

Several tacit taboos with religious explanations included the fact that women were not allowed to eat with men at the same table and that they were not allowed to eat certain types of food, reserved for the gods only. reaking these taboos affects the relationships that develop between the natives and the Europeans, but also produces cleavages between men and women in the native society. The European lack of such taboos has a definite impact on the structure of Hawaiian society.
At this point, trade enters the picture as a new variable that needs to be factored in when analyzing both the structure of the Hawaiian society and the relationship with the Europeans. All relationships, both intra and extra the Hawaiian society are revised. The native Hawaiians were better able to identify and structure the different types of Europeans they were coming into contact with and this was based both….

Sing America Metaphors
The Use of Metaphor in I, Too, Sing America

In the poem I, Too, Sing America written by Langston Hughes, the author takes the reader on a journey through the experience of the discriminated African-Americans in the Jim Crow south of 1924. The poem is told in first person and shows the injustice of racism (Jones 176). The overall goal of the work is to illustrate that America is a rich tapestry of different people -- all equally valid. The "I, Too" of the title and repeated throughout the poem alludes to the feeling of exclusion that results for those who are alienated by a societies laws, policies and norms (Hughes 545). The poem is very effective because of its genuine emotions.

At the heart of the work is the personal experience of the African-American who, in that day, had to contend with the denial of many basic freedoms….

Metaphor of Snow in Julia
PAGES 2 WORDS 696

Being American, learning English, and atomic power are all intertwined in her impressionable mind.
The impact of American education is not positive upon Yolanda's development, although she does learn English. Along with learning English, she learns to be afraid. Every time there is an air raid Yolanda contemplates her own death, her "hair falling out" from radiation, or the bones in her arms growing soft, or her whole body evaporating into mist, like the snow that will accompany an attack.

hen Yolanda first sees snow, it is not a happy, wondrous sight. She is terrified that the United States is being attacked. She does not know that snow can be frozen rain, or something to play in, because her teachers have been so intent upon preparing her for an atomic attack. She misunderstands not just the word "snow" but also what snow can mean in different contexts. Learning English and learning….

Plath then mentions the Luftwaffe or German Air Force and her father's "neat moustache" and "Aryan eye, bright blue" (lines 42-44) which symbolizes the well-groomed appearance of German officers with their blue Aryan eyes. She then calls her father a "Panzer man" (line 45), a metaphor for a German-made armored tank used in battle. Plath also sees her father as worshipping the swastika rather than God (line 46) and then calls him "A man in black with a Meinkampf look" (line 65), a symbol of Adolph Hitler and his autobiography "Mein Kampf." Plath also mentions "the rack and the screw" (line 66) which symbolizes the torture inflicted by the Nazis upon the Jews and the enemies of the Third Reich. Finally, Plath calls her father a vampire who lies in his grave -- "There's a stake in your fat black heart" (line 76) with the villagers dancing on his….

Infants that are securely attached, then, expect their figures of attachment to be readily available and are quickly and easily comforted if upset. Conversely, those infants that are not securely attached do not share this level of expectation. Among adults, secure attachments provide a base for caregiving and compassion (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2005).
Conclusion

What then causes individuals to describe his or her reality in terms of noncommensurate physical qualities like cleanliness, verticality, weight or temperature? Landau et al. (2010) have provided a convincing argument that these kinds of sociocognitive metaphors are reflective of general basic processes that allow individuals to make the world make sense. However, when looking from the contextual framework of grounded cognition, the psychological importance of sociocognitive metaphors exceeds mental representation and even language. There are some sociocognitive metaphors that seem to provide greater universality that finds its foundation in bodily constraints and schemas that are relational,….

Kingdom Metaphors
Metaphors for the Kingdom

The Bible itself contains many metaphors of how the Kingdom of God will look, or of the characteristics of God in His Kingdom. The paper "And Finally…the Kingdom of God is Like…" gives several contemporary examples of what people have seen of the Kingdom and the characters who inhabit it. Such as the Holy Spirit being a guiding star. This paper takes a look at one of the example metaphors from the essay by Tame and also provides a personal metaphor of the kingdom.

Metaphors are meant to be a common picture that can be related something that people want to understand better. Tame (2005) talks about a college as a metaphor of the kingdom of God, or at least entry into the Kingdom of God. In the United States, anyone can go to college, and anyone can enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but there is a….

Money
Metaphor is a poetic imagination and rhetorical fanfare tool used by individuals showing off their linguistic prowess. Though the use of metaphors governs individuals' thoughts, everyday functioning, down to the most mundane details, people do not value the importance of metaphors always ignoring their significance in the society and linguistic communication. To give some idea of what it could mean for a concept to be metaphorical and for such a concept to structure an everyday activity, this document looks at the concept Time and the conceptual metaphor Time is Money. This conceptual metaphor has a deeper meaning but is always ignored by everybody; I am a living example of the misconception of this metaphor.

Reflection

Time is Money is one of the more obvious conceptual metaphors in English because it is also a phrase used often. It seems to be endemic in the capitalist world, where you are actually paid for….

This is a type of assimilation that often allows some minority groups to maintain a connection to their previous culture. The white majority does become influenced in many ways, even though it may deny it.
However, this process is very painful for many minority groups that feel helpless in the terms by which they must be assimilated into the majority culture. Thus, Rodriguez is saying that the more correct metaphor is not a melting pot where cultures can blend together seamlessly, but one where there is more of a forced separation that forces the ethnic minority to loose their previous cultural identity. During the process of assimilation, many within the minority culture feel that they either have to assimilate or feel the consequences, which can often include isolation and oppression when they cling to their cultural heritage too much. Thus, there is room for assimilation, but only for those who….

image
1 Pages
Term Paper

Art  (general)

Metaphors Similes Analogies for Most of Us

Words: 376
Length: 1 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Metaphors, Similes, Analogies For most of us, a day without metaphors, similes and analogies is like a day without sunshine. For some of us, certain events or observations leave us…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
2 Pages
Essay

Psychology

Metaphor and Meaning Getting a

Words: 582
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

And yes, an occupational therapist may teach a patient how to hold a glass of milk and savor that nourishment, as I have savored what I have learned,…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
3 Pages
Essay

Literature

Metaphor and Social Critique in

Words: 989
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

The danger that surrounds Huck and his friends in the book is also exciting, and lends much to the story in many places. It is Huck's first foray…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
2 Pages
Term Paper

Transportation

Metaphors and Communication

Words: 794
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

metaphors in communication allows us to "tap into a richer vein of language and thought." (Kirby et al., 1999, p. 82) They allow us to better describe our…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
2 Pages
Term Paper

Black Studies - Philosophy

Metaphor Has Been Considered a Figure of

Words: 577
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

metaphor has been considered a figure of speech generally used in literary creations in order to make the reader see some of the writer's ideas and visions. However,…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
4 Pages
Term Paper

Sports

Metaphor Use by Using Life Compared to

Words: 1262
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Term Paper

metaphor use by using life compared to sports as its basis. The writer explains why life is more like boxing than it is running track to explore the…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
3 Pages
Term Paper

Black Studies - Philosophy

Metaphor Sometimes When I Am

Words: 1048
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Term Paper

How does language empower or limit the expression of our thoughts? Thus, one of the empowering aspects of language is that it can enable others to understand our deepest feelings…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
3 Pages
Term Paper

Mythology - Religion

Metaphors and Mythical Realities Marshall

Words: 935
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Several tacit taboos with religious explanations included the fact that women were not allowed to eat with men at the same table and that they were not allowed…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
3 Pages
Essay

Black Studies

Metaphors in I Too Sing America

Words: 1149
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

Sing America Metaphors The Use of Metaphor in I, Too, Sing America In the poem I, Too, Sing America written by Langston Hughes, the author takes the reader on a…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
2 Pages
Term Paper

Teaching

Metaphor of Snow in Julia

Words: 696
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Being American, learning English, and atomic power are all intertwined in her impressionable mind. The impact of American education is not positive upon Yolanda's development, although she does learn…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
1 Pages
Term Paper

Drama - World

Metaphor in Sylvia Plath's Daddy

Words: 462
Length: 1 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Plath then mentions the Luftwaffe or German Air Force and her father's "neat moustache" and "Aryan eye, bright blue" (lines 42-44) which symbolizes the well-groomed appearance of German…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
7 Pages
Essay

Psychology

Sociocognitive Metaphors Constraints on Sociocognitive

Words: 2341
Length: 7 Pages
Type: Essay

Infants that are securely attached, then, expect their figures of attachment to be readily available and are quickly and easily comforted if upset. Conversely, those infants that are…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
3 Pages
Essay

Family and Marriage

Kingdom Metaphors for the Kingdom the Bible

Words: 851
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

Kingdom Metaphors Metaphors for the Kingdom The Bible itself contains many metaphors of how the Kingdom of God will look, or of the characteristics of God in His Kingdom. The paper…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
5 Pages
Essay

Teaching

Money Metaphor Is a Poetic Imagination and

Words: 1501
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Essay

Money Metaphor is a poetic imagination and rhetorical fanfare tool used by individuals showing off their linguistic prowess. Though the use of metaphors governs individuals' thoughts, everyday functioning, down…

Read Full Paper  ❯
image
3 Pages
Essay

Anthropology

Melting Pot Metaphor in Richard

Words: 932
Length: 3 Pages
Type: Essay

This is a type of assimilation that often allows some minority groups to maintain a connection to their previous culture. The white majority does become influenced in many…

Read Full Paper  ❯