Activity #1
What are metaphors and how are they used in literature? What makes a metaphor effective?
Metaphors utilize the image of one subject as if it were analogous to another, seemingly unrelated, subject. Figures of speech, such as saying someone is "green" to mean that they are new at something, are often metaphors.
Read the following poem, Dreams, by Langston Hughes. Can you identify a metaphor in the poem?
Dreams by Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
The poem contains structurally simple metaphors which follow the formula a is b. These can be found in both stanzas. The first contains this line:
Life is a broken-winged bird
While the second stanza contains the following line:
Life is a barren field
Think about these questions and keep the notes. You will submit these at the end of the lesson.
What is this metaphor referring to in this poem?
How do these metaphors work in relation to the poem's title, "Dreams?"
How is this description different from saying simply that when dreams are unfulfilled life is difficult?
How is it different from saying that a life without dreams is like a broken-winged bird? Would using a simile rather than a metaphor negate or weaken Hughes' poem?
What makes this an effective metaphor and why?
Activity #2
Read the following poem, You Begin, by Margaret Atwood.
You Begin
by Margaret Atwood
You begin this way:
this is your hand,
this is your eye,
that is a fish, blue and flat
on the paper, almost
the shape of an eye.
This is your mouth, this is an O
or a moon, whichever
you like. This is yellow.
Outside the window
is the rain, green
because it is summer, and beyond that
the trees and then the world,
which is round and has only
the colors of these nine crayons.
This is the world, which is fuller
and more difficult to learn than I have said.
You are right to smudge it that way
with the red and then
the orange: the world burns.
Once you have learned these words
you will learn that there are more
words than you can ever learn.
The word hand floats above your hand
like a small cloud over a lake.
The word hand anchors
your hand to this table,
your hand is a warm stone
I hold between two words.
This is your hand, these are my hands, this is the world,
which is round but not flat and has more colors
than we can see.
It begins, it has an end,
this is what you will
come back to, this is your hand.
The end
Concentrate on the following stanza:
Once you have learned these words
you will learn that there are more
words than you can ever learn.
The word hand floats above your hand
like a small cloud over a lake.
The word hand anchors
your hand to this table,
your hand is a warm stone
I hold between two words.
Think about these questions and keep the notes. You will submit your answers at the end of the lesson.
What does the cloud in the simile represent?
What does the warm stone signify? Is it only the child's hand?
How is this description different from saying simply that the hand is warm?
How is this description different from saying the hand is like a warm stone?
Is this an effective metaphor? Why or why not?
Review
Directions: Submit your answers to Activity #1 and Activity #2.
Activity #1:
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another, in order to create a vivid or imaginative description. In literature, metaphors are commonly used to convey deeper meanings, evoke emotions, and create strong visual images for readers.
In the poem "Dreams" by Langston Hughes, there are two metaphors:
1. "Life is a broken-winged bird"
2. "Life is a barren field"
These metaphors serve to compare life to something else, highlighting the impact of unfulfilled dreams. The first metaphor suggests that a life without dreams is like a bird with broken wings that cannot fly, emphasizing the feeling of being trapped or limited. The second metaphor portrays life without dreams as a barren field covered in snow, representing emptiness and lack of growth.
These metaphors work in relation to the poem's title, "Dreams," by emphasizing the importance of holding on to one's dreams. They convey the message that without dreams, life becomes stagnant and devoid of purpose or fulfillment.
This description of unfulfilled dreams being compared to a broken-winged bird or a barren field adds depth and richness to the idea. It goes beyond a simple statement that life is difficult without dreams and instead creates vivid and powerful imagery that engages the reader's imagination.
Using a simile instead of a metaphor would not necessarily negate or weaken Hughes' poem, but it would change the impact and style of the writing. The use of metaphors allows for more imaginative and evocative language, while similes directly state the comparison, making it less open to interpretation.
What makes these metaphors effective is their vividness and the emotions they evoke. They create strong mental images in the reader's mind, making the poem more engaging and memorable. Additionally, the metaphors help to convey the theme of the poem and deepen the reader's understanding of the message.
Activity #2:
In the stanza from the poem "You Begin" by Margaret Atwood, the following simile can be found:
"The word hand floats above your hand like a small cloud over a lake."
In this simile, the cloud represents the word "hand" and how it hovers above the physical hand. It suggests the abstract nature of language and how words can be detached from their physical representations. The simile creates a visual image of the word "hand" being separate from the actual hand but still connected to it, just like a cloud floating above a lake.
The warm stone signifies not only the child's hand but also the stability and grounding that language provides. It represents the solidity and comfort that words bring, acting as a metaphorical anchor for the hand. It suggests that language can provide support and guidance, making the child's hand feel secure and steady.
This description goes beyond simply stating that the hand is warm and adds depth by using the metaphor of a warm stone. It conveys a sense of solidity, stability, and comfort that enhances the reader's understanding of the relationship between language and the physical world.
This description is different from saying the hand is like a warm stone because it doesn't use the word "like" to directly compare the hand to a warm stone. Instead, it presents the hand as a warm stone itself. This creates a stronger connection between the hand and the stone, emphasizing the grounding and stability it provides.
This metaphor can be considered effective because it enhances the reader's understanding of how language shapes our perception and experience of the physical world. It creates a vivid and tangible image, evoking both tactile and emotional sensations. The metaphor helps to convey the complex relationship between words, the hand, and the world, making the poem more powerful and thought-provoking.