
In other words, an effective metaphor eliminates the need for excessive explanation or description on the part of the writer. Metaphors allow writers to create imagery for readers that is limited by description alone. Here are some ways that writers benefit from incorporating metaphor into their work: Create Imagery For example, in the metaphor “the car was a lemon,” the principal term is “car” and the secondary term is “lemon.” The use of lemon adds figurative meaning for the car. The principal term conveys the concrete or literal entity, and the secondary term is used figuratively to add meaning. In fact, metaphors are dependent on the understandable combination of a principal term and a secondary term. It’s important that writers construct proper metaphors so that the comparative meaning is not lost for the reader. Metaphor is an essential figure of speech for writers of both poetry and prose. This is effective for readers in that metaphor can create an association between two dissimilar entities or ideas that, as a result of the metaphor, illuminate each other and deepen the meaning of both. Overall, as a literary device, metaphor functions as a means of creating a direct comparison between two seemingly different things. Additional: Difference Between Metaphor, Allegory, and Simile However, the uses of metaphor and simile create subtle differences in the meaning of comparing life to a box of chocolates. Both quotes feature comparative figures of speech. You never know what you’re going to get.” This comparison is a metaphor due to the absence of the word like (or as). In a different scene, the audience hears Forrest’s mother say: “Life is a box of chocolates, Forrest.


You never know what you’re going to get.” In this case, the comparison between life and a box of chocolates is a simile due to the presence of the word like. The main character, Forrest Gump, quotes his mother: “Life is like a box of chocolates. One of the movie’s themes is based on a comparison between life and a box of chocolates.
EXPRESSIONS SIMILAR SEA OF ROSES MOVIE
Similes feature either like or as in making a comparison.Ī good example to distinguish between these two literary devices comes from the movie adaptation of the novel Forrest Gump by Winston Groom. However, they are distinguished by the presence of one of two words: “like” and “as.” Metaphors create direct comparisons without using either of these words. Both are figures of speech designed to create comparisons. It can be difficult in some instances to distinguish between metaphor and simile as literary devices.
