What is a Metaphor?
A metaphor is a form of figurative language that describes something by saying something that is not literally true. For example, I often say to people, 'You are a superstar' or 'You are an angel.' Obviously, I am not saying that they are literally a superstar or angel! I just mean that they are helpful and kind.
Metaphors state that one thing is another thing.
Metaphors are often used in poetry and songwriting. Look at these song lyrics:
- "I got that sunshine in my pocket. Got that good soul in my feet." 'Can't Stop the Feeling', Justin Timberlake.
- "You are the thunder and I am the lightning and I love the way you know who you are." 'Naturally', Selena Gomez.
- "Lightning strikes every time she moves." 'This is What You Came For', Rihanna.
- "I'm the sunshine in your hair. I'm the shadow on the ground. I'm the whisper in the wind. I'm your imaginary friend." 'I'm Already There', Lonestar.
- "I am titanium." 'Titanium', David Guetta.
Metaphors are not only used in poetry and songwriting, they are also used in literature and speech. If someone speaks with metaphors, they are 'speaking metaphorically'.
You don't have to speak with well-known metaphors. You can actually make your own. However, make sure you say something that people will understand the meaning of. Let's look at some famous metaphors:
- “All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.” Albert Einstein.
- “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Pablo Picasso.
- "All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players." Shakespeare.
Practise writing metaphorically! Write a metaphor or two in the comments.
Similies are similar to metaphors. I'll write a separate post about that. Did you see my post about question tags? Check it out here.
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Sarah x
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Sarah x