The Incredible Power of Metaphors
The author Orson Scott Card wrote: “Metaphors Have a Way of Holding the Most Truth in the Least Space”. An interesting metaphor is powerful indeed: it marks a thoughtful and mature writer.
Students who can write metaphorically on essays and applications score higher and make more of an impression than those who write only literal statements. However, it takes practice to get into the habit of thinking and writing in metaphors.
What is a Metaphor?
A metaphor is one type of figurative language, and it is usually taught in the poetry unit in English class. However, it is not just used in poetry; it can be used in any type of writing – or speaking. The simplest definition that most students learn is that a metaphor “compares two unlike things without using the words “like” or “as.”
Here is an Easy Metaphor:
“After my mother had her operation, my aunt came over to help out. She was an angel to us.”
The writer’s aunt is not literally an angel. She does not have wings or a halo, and she is not supernatural. Instead, the writer is comparing her aunt to an angel.
The writer assumes that readers know that in our society, angels are assumed to be kind, nice, and generous. Therefore, the aunt in this sentence is an extremely kind and helpful person.
Here are some more advanced metaphors that are a bit more interesting:
My brother is a real Neanderthal when it comes to table manners.
The weather turned my neighborhood into Siberia overnight.
At the park, George is a magnet for dogs.
For more examples of metaphors and more practice writing them, take a look at the lesson on Beyond Words Learning called: Metaphor: A Powerful Writing Tool.
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