how to use metaphor in essay

25 Metaphors for Essays

Metaphors are a powerful tool in writing and can add depth and richness to your essay.  

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things, using “like” or “as” to make the comparison. 

By using metaphors in your writing, you can paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind and help them better understand and relate to your ideas. 

In this blog post, we will explore some common metaphors for essays and the different ways they can be used to enhance your writing. 

Whether you are just starting out with essay writing or are an experienced writer looking for new ways to engage your readers, this post will provide you with some helpful tips and ideas for using metaphors effectively. 

So, let’s dive in and explore the world of metaphors for essays!

Metaphors for Essays

• “The world is a stage.” This metaphor suggests that life is a performance and we are all actors on the stage of the world.
• “Time is money.” This metaphor equates the value of time with the value of money, implying that time is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.
• “He is a snake in the grass.” This metaphor describes someone who is sneaky and untrustworthy, likening them to a snake hiding in the grass.
• “She has a heart of gold.” This metaphor describes someone who is kind and generous, likening their heart to the precious metal gold.
• “He is a bear in the market.” This metaphor describes someone who is aggressive and successful in business, likening them to a bear in the stock market.
• “She is a ray of sunshine.” This metaphor describes someone who brings joy and light to a situation, likening them to a ray of sunshine.
• “He is a lion in the courtroom.” This metaphor describes someone who is confident and fierce in a legal setting, likening them to a lion.
• “She is a diamond in the rough.” This metaphor describes someone who has untapped potential or hidden qualities, likening them to a diamond that has yet to be polished.
• “He is a butterfly in the wind.” This metaphor describes someone who is unpredictable or fleeting, likening them to a butterfly being blown by the wind.
• “She is a rose among thorns.” This metaphor describes someone who stands out or is exceptional in a negative or difficult situation, likening them to a rose among thorns.
• “He is a fish out of water.” This metaphor describes someone who is uncomfortable or out of place in a particular situation, likening them to a fish out of water.
• “She is a bird in a gilded cage.” This metaphor describes someone who is trapped or unable to fully experience life, likening them to a bird in a gilded cage.
• “He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” This metaphor describes someone who appears kind or harmless, but is actually dangerous or deceitful, likening them to a wolf disguised as a harmless sheep.
• “She is a butterfly emerging from a cocoon.” This metaphor describes someone who is going through a transformation or transition, likening them to a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.
• “He is a snake oil salesman.” This metaphor describes someone who is dishonest or fraudulent in their sales tactics, likening them to a 19th century salesman who sold fake cures in the form of snake oil.
• “She is a feather in the wind.” This metaphor describes someone who is easily swayed or influenced, likening them to a feather being blown by the wind.
• “He is a monkey on his back.” This metaphor describes someone who is struggling with an addiction or problem that they cannot shake, likening it to a monkey clinging to their back.
• “He is a tiger in the jungle.” This metaphor describes someone who is strong and fierce in a particular environment, likening them to a tiger in the jungle.
• “She is a flower in bloom.” This metaphor describes someone who is flourishing or thriving, likening them to a flower in bloom.
• “He is a dragon hoarding treasure.” This metaphor describes someone who is greedy or possessive, likening them to a dragon hoarding treasure.

In conclusion, metaphors are a valuable and effective tool for writers looking to add depth and clarity to their essays. 

By comparing two unlike things and using “like” or “as” to make the comparison, metaphors can help readers better understand and relate to your ideas. 

Whether you are just starting out with essay writing or are an experienced writer looking for new ways to engage your readers, incorporating metaphors into your writing can be a powerful technique.

We hope that this blog post has provided you with some helpful tips and ideas for using metaphors effectively in your own essays. 

Remember to always consider your audience and the purpose of your writing when choosing and using metaphors, and don’t be afraid to get creative and try out different approaches. 

With a little practice and experimentation, you can master the art of using metaphors to add depth and impact to your writing.

Related Posts

25 metaphors for poetry, 25 metaphors for kids.

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Using Metaphors in Creative Writing

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What is a metaphor?

The term metaphor meant in Greek "carry something across" or "transfer," which suggests many of the more elaborate definitions below:

Related terms

Why use metaphors.

People get so accustomed to using the same words and phrases over and over, and always in the same ways, that they no longer know what they mean. Creative writers have the power to make the ordinary strange and the strange ordinary, making life interesting again.

When readers or listeners encounter a phrase or word that cannot be interpreted literally, they have to think—or rather, they are given the pleasure of interpretation. If you write "I am frustrated" or "The air was cold" you give your readers nothing to do—they say "so what?" On the other hand, if you say, "My ambition was Hiroshima, after the bombing," your readers can think about and choose from many possible meanings.

By writing "my dorm is a prison," you suggest to your readers that you feel as though you were placed in solitary, you are fed lousy food, you are deprived of all of life's great pleasures, your room is poorly lit and cramped—and a hundred other things, that, if you tried to say them all, would probably take several pages.

There are many gaps in language. When a child looks at the sky and sees a star but does not know the word "star," she is forced to say, "Mommy, look at the lamp in the sky!" Similarly, when computer software developers created boxes on the screen as a user interface, they needed a new language; the result was windows. In your poems, you will often be trying to write about subjects, feelings, etc., so complex that you have no choice but to use metaphors.

Or so says Aristotle in Poetics: "[T]he greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor." It is "a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars."

Creative ways to use metaphors

Most books give rather boring examples of metaphors such as my father is a bear or the librarian was a beast. However, in your poetry (and fiction for that matter) you can do much more than say X is Y, like an algebraic formula. Definitely play with extended metaphors (see above) and experiment with some of the following, using metaphors...

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Last updated on Feb 11, 2022

90+ Must-Know Metaphor Examples to Improve Your Prose

What figure of speech is so meta that it forms the very basis of riddles? The answer: a metaphor.

As Milan Kundera wrote in The Unbearable Lightness of Being : “Metaphors are dangerous. Metaphors are not to be trifled with.” Yet, paradoxically, they are an inescapable part of our daily lives — which is why it’s all the more important to understand exactly how they function.

To help, this article has a list of 97 metaphor examples to show you what they look like in the wild. But if you have a moment to spare, let's learn a bit more about what a metaphor is.

What is a metaphor?

A metaphor is a literary device that imaginatively draws a comparison between two unlike things. It does this by stating that Thing A is Thing B. Through this method of equation, metaphors can help explain concepts and ideas by colorfully linking the unknown to the known; the abstract to the concrete; the incomprehensible to the comprehensible. It can also be a rhetorical device that specifically appeals to our sensibilities as readers.

To give you a starting point, here are some examples of common metaphors:

• “Bill is an early bird.”
• “Life is a highway.”
• “Her eyes were diamonds.”

Note that metaphors are always non-literal. As much as you might like to greet your significant other with a warhammer in hand (“love is a battlefield”) or bring 50 tanks of gasoline every time you go on a date (“love is a journey”), that’s not likely to happen in reality. Another spoiler alert: no, Katy Perry doesn't literally think that you're a firework. Rather, these are all instances of metaphors in action.

How does a metaphor differ from a simile?

Simile and metaphor are both figures of speech that draw resemblances between two things. However, the devil’s in the details. Unlike metaphors, similes use like and as to directly create the comparison. “Life is like a box of chocolates,” for instance, is a simile. But if you say, “Life is a highway,” you’re putting a metaphor in motion.

The best way to understand how a metaphor can be used is to see it in practice — luckily, we’ve got a bucket-load of metaphor examples handy for you to peruse.

The Ultimate List of 90+ Metaphor Examples

Metaphors penetrate the entire spectrum of our existence — so we turned to many mediums to dig them up, from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to the Backstreet Boys’ ancient discography. Feel free to skip to your section of interest below for metaphor examples.

Literature Poetry Daily Expressions Songs Films Famous Quotations

Metaphors in literature are drops of water: as essential as they are ubiquitous. Writers use literary metaphors to evoke an emotional response or paint a vivid picture. Other times, a metaphor might explain a phenomenon. Given the amount of nuance that goes into it, a metaphor example in a text can sometimes deserve as much interpretation as the text itself.

Metaphors can make prose more muscular or imagery more vivid:

1. “Exhaustion is a thin blanket tattered with bullet holes.” ― If Then , Matthew De Abaitua

2. “But it is just two lovers, holding hands and in a hurry to reach their car, their locked hands a starfish leaping through the dark.” ― Rabbit, Run , John Updike

3. “The sun in the west was a drop of burning gold that slid near and nearer the sill of the world.” — Lord of the Flies , William Golding

4. “Bobby Holloway says my imagination is a three-hundred-ring circus. Currently I was in ring two hundred and ninety-nine, with elephants dancing and clowns cart wheeling and tigers leaping through rings of fire. The time had come to step back, leave the main tent, go buy some popcorn and a Coke, bliss out, cool down.” — Seize the Night ,   Dean Koontz

Writers frequently turn to metaphors to describe people in unexpected ways:

5. “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!” — Romeo & Juliet , William Shakespeare

6. “Who had they been, all these mothers and sisters and wives? What were they now? Moons, blank and faceless, gleaming with borrowed light, each spinning loyally around a bigger sphere.  ‘Invisible,’ said Faith under her breath. Women and girls were so often unseen, forgotten, afterthoughts. Faith herself had used it to good effect, hiding in plain sight and living a double life. But she had been blinded by exactly the same invisibility-of-the-mind, and was only just realizing it.” ― The Lie Tree , Frances Hardinge

7. “’I am a shark, Cassie,’ he says slowly, drawing the words out, as if he might be speaking to me for the last time. Looking into my eyes with tears in his, as if he's seeing me for the last time. "A shark who dreamed he was a man.’” ― The Last Star , Rick Yancey

8. “Her mouth was a fountain of delight.” — The Storm , Kate Chopin

9. “The parents looked upon Matilda in particular as nothing more than a scab. A scab is something you have to put up with until the time comes when you can pick it off and flick it away.” — Matilda , Roald Dahl

10. “Mr. Neck storms into class, a bull chasing thirty-three red flags." — Speak , Laurie Anderson

11. “’Well, you keep away from her, cause she’s a rattrap if I ever seen one.’” — Of Mice and Men , John Steinbeck

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Metaphors can help “visualize” a situation or put an event in context:

12. “But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.” —Isaiah 64:8

13. “He could hear Beatty's voice. ‘Sit down, Montag. Watch. Delicately, like the petals of a flower. Light the first page, light the second page. Each becomes a black butterfly. Beautiful, eh? Light the third page from the second and so on, chainsmoking, chapter by chapter, all the silly things the words mean, all the false promises, all the second-hand notions and time-worn philosophies.’” — Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury

To entertain and tickle the brain, metaphor examples sometimes compare two extremely unlike things:

14. “Delia was an overbearing cake with condescending frosting, and frankly, I was on a diet.” ― Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception , Maggie Stiefvater

15. "The sun was a toddler insistently refusing to go to bed: It was past eight thirty and still light.” — Fault in Our Stars , John Green

16. “If wits were pins, the man would be a veritable hedgehog.” ― Fly by Night , Frances Hardinge

17. “What's this?" he inquired, none too pleasantly. "A circus?" "No, Julius. It's the end of the circus." "I see. And these are the clowns?" Foaly's head poked through the doorway. "Pardon me for interrupting your extended circus metaphor, but what the hell is that?” ― Artemis Fowl , Eoin Colfer

18. “Using a metaphor in front of a man as unimaginative as Ridcully was the same as putting a red flag to a bu — the same as putting something very annoying in front of someone who was annoyed by it.” ― Lords and Ladies , Terry Pratchett

Metaphors can help frame abstract concepts in ways that readers can easily grasp:

19. “My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” — Fault In Our Stars , John Green

20. “If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then to me.” — Macbeth , William Shakespeare

21. “Memories are bullets. Some whiz by and only spook you. Others tear you open and leave you in pieces.” ― Kill the Dead , Richard Kadrey

22. “Wishes are thorns, he told himself sharply. They do us no good, just stick into our skin and hurt us.” ― A Face Like Glass , Frances Hardinge

23. “’Life' wrote a friend of mine, 'is a public performance on the violin, in which you must learn the instrument as you go along.” ― A Room with a View , E.M. Forster

24. “There was an invisible necklace of nows, stretching out in front of her along the crazy, twisting road, each bead a golden second.” ― Cuckoo Song , Frances Hardinge

25. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” — As You Like It , William Shakespeare

Particularly prominent in the realm of poetry is the extended metaphor: a single metaphor that extends throughout all or part of a piece of work . Also known as a conceit , it is used by poets to develop an idea or concept in great detail over the length of a poem. (And we have some metaphor examples for you below.)

If you’d like to get a sense of the indispensable role that metaphors play in poetry, look no further than what Robert Frost once said: “They are having night schools now, you know, for college graduates. Why? Because they don’t know when they are being fooled by a metaphor. Education by poetry is education by metaphor.”

Poets use metaphors directly in the text to explain emotions and opinions:

26. She must make him happy. She must be his favorite place in Minneapolis. You are a souvenir shop, where he goes to remember how much people miss him when he is gone. —“ Unrequited Love Poem ,” Sierra DeMulder

27. She is all states, and all princes, I. Nothing else is. Princes do but play us; compared to this, All honour's mimic, all wealth alchemy. —“ The Sun Rising ,” John Donne

28. I watched a girl in a sundress kiss another girl on a park bench, and just as the sunlight spilled perfectly onto both of their hair, I thought to myself: How bravely beautiful it is, that sometimes, the sea wants the city, even when it has been told its entire life it was meant for the shore. —“I Watched A Girl In A Sundress,” Christopher Poindexter

Extended metaphors in particular explore and advance major themes in poems:

29. All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind. Thinking is always the stumbling stone to poetry. A great singer is he who sings our silences. How can you sing if your mouth be filled with food? How shall your hand be raised in blessing if it is filled with gold? They say the nightingale pierces his bosom with a thorn when he sings his love song. —“ Sand and Foam ,” Khalil Gibran

30. But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage / Can seldom see through his bars of rage / His wings are clipped and his feet are tied So he opens his throat to sing. —“ Caged Bird ,” Maya Angelou

31. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by / And that has made all the difference. —“ The Road Not Taken ,” Robert Frost

32. Marriage is not a house or even a tent it is before that, and colder: the edge of the forest, the edge of the desert the edge of the receding glacier where painfully and with wonder at having survived even this far we are learning to make fire —“ Habitation ,” Margaret Atwood

33. These poems do not live: it's a sad diagnosis. They grew their toes and fingers well enough, Their little foreheads bulged with concentration. If they missed out on walking about like people It wasn't for any lack of mother-love. —“ Stillborn ,” Sylvia Plath

34. Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul / And sings the tune without the words / And never stops at all. —“ Hope Is The Thing With Feathers ,” Emily Dickinson

Daily Expressions

Here’s some food for thought (35): you’ve probably already used a metaphor (or more) in your daily speech today without even realizing it. Metaphorical expressions pepper the English language by helping us illustrate and pinpoint exactly what we want to say. As a result, metaphors are everywhere in our common vocabulary: you may even be drowning in a sea (36) of them as we speak. But let’s cut to our list of metaphor examples before we jump the shark (37).

38. Love is a battlefield.

39. You’ve given me something to chew on.

40. He’s just blowing off steam.

41. That is music to my ears.

42. Love is a fine wine.

43. She’s a thorn in my side.

44. You are the light in my life.

45. He has the heart of a lion.

46. Am I talking to a brick wall?

47. He has ants in his pants.

48. Beauty is a fading flower.

49. She has a heart of stone.

50. Fear is a beast that feeds on attention.

51. Life is a journey.

52. He’s a late bloomer.

53. He is a lame duck now.

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Metaphors are a must-have tool in every lyricist’s toolkit. From Elvis to Beyonce, songwriters use them to instinctively connect listeners to imagery and paint a visual for them. Most of the time, they find new ways to describe people, love — and, of course, break-ups. So if you’re thinking, “This is so sad Alexa play Titanium,” right now, you’re in the right place: here’s a look at some metaphor examples in songs.

54. You ain't nothin' but a hound dog / Cryin' all the time —“Hound Dog,” Elvis Presley

55. You're a fallen star / You're the getaway car / You're the line in the sand / When I go too far / You're the swimming pool / On an August day / And you're the perfect thing to say — “Everything,” Michael Buble

56. 'Cause baby you're a firework / Come on show 'em what your worth / Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!" / As you shoot across the sky-y-y — “Firework,” Katy Perry

57. I'm bulletproof nothing to lose / Fire away, fire away / Ricochet, you take your aim / Fire away, fire away / You shoot me down but I won't fall, I am titanium —“Titanium,” David Guetta

58. Life is a highway / I wanna ride it all night long / If you're going my way / I wanna drive it all night long —“Life Is A Highway,” Rascal Flatts

59. She's a Saturn with a sunroof / With her brown hair a-blowing / She's a soft place to land / And a good feeling knowing / She's a warm conversation —“She’s Everything,” Brad Paisley

60. I'm a marquise diamond / Could even make that Tiffany jealous / You say I give it to you hard / So bad, so bad / Make you never wanna leave / I won't, I won't —“Good For You,’ Selena Gomez

61. Remember those walls I built / Well, baby, they're tumbling down / And they didn't even put up a fight / They didn't even make a sound —“Halo,” Beyonce

62. Did I ever tell you you're my hero? / You're everything, everything I wish I could be / Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle / For you are the wind beneath my wings / 'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings —“Wind Beneath My Wings,” Bette Midler

63. You are my fire / The one desire / Believe when I say I want it that way —“I Want It That Way,” Backstreet Boys

64. Your body is a wonderland / Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands) / Your body is a wonderland —“Your Body Is A Wonderland,” John Mayer

65. I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!) / I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!) / I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!) / And don't it feel good —“I’m Walking On Sunshine,” Katrina and the Waves

66. If you wanna be with me / Baby there's a price to pay / I'm a genie in a bottle / You gotta rub me the right way —“Genie in a Bottle,” Christina Aguilera

67. If God is a DJ, life is a dance floor / Love is the rhythm, you are the music / If God is a DJ, life is a dance floor / You get what you're given it's all how you use it —“God Is A DJ,” P!nk

68. If this town / Is just an apple / Then let me take a bite —“Human Nature,” Michael Jackson

69. I just wanna be part of your symphony / Will you hold me tight and not let go? —“Symphony,” Clean Bandit

70. My heart's a stereo / It beats for you, so listen close / Hear my thoughts in every note —“Stereo Hearts,” Gym Class Heroes

71. 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

Films can add a different angle to the concept of a metaphor: because it’s a visual medium, certain objects on-screen will actually represent whatever the filmmaker intends it to represent. The same principle applies, of course — there’s still a direct comparison being made. It’s just that we can see the metaphor examples with our own eyes now.

Films can visually make clear comparisons between two elements on the screen:

72. “What beautiful blossoms we have this year. But look, this one’s late. I’ll bet that when it blooms it will be the most beautiful of all.” —from  Mulan

73. “Love is an open door Can I say something crazy? Will you marry me? Can I say something even crazier? Yes!” —from  Frozen

Metaphors are used in dialogue for characters to express themselves:

74. “You're television incarnate, Diana. Indifferent to suffering, insensitive to joy.” — Network

75. “Life's a climb. But the view is great.” — Hannah Montana: the Movie

Famous Quotations

Did you know that Plato was using metaphors to express his thoughts all the way back in 427 BC? Since then, some of our greatest minds have continued to turn to metaphors when illuminating ideas in front of the general public — a practice that’s become particularly prominent in political speeches and pithy witticisms. Here’s a sample of some of the ways that famous quotes have incorporated metaphor examples in the past.

76. “All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.” —Albert Einstein

77. “A good conscience is a continual Christmas.” —Benjamin Franklin

78. “America has tossed its cap over the wall of space.” —John F. Kennedy

79. “I don't approve of political jokes; I have seen too many of them get elected.” —Jon Stewart

80. “Conscience is a man’s compass.” —Vincent Van Gogh

81. “In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” —Albert Camus

82. “Time is the moving image of eternity.” ―Plato

83. “Every human is a school subject. This is rather a metaphorical way of saying it, to put it straight, those you love are few, and the ones you detest are many.” ―Michael Bassey Johnson

84. “Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.” —Will Rogers

85. “Life is little more than a loan shark: it exacts a very high rate of interest for the few pleasures it concedes.” —Luigi Pirandello

86. “America: in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words.  With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come.” —Barack Obama

87. “Bolshevism is a ghoul descending from a pile of skulls. It is not a policy; it is a disease. It is not a creed; it is a pestilence.” —Winston Churchill

88. “Books are mirrors of the soul.” —Virginia Woolf

89. “My life has a superb cast, but I can't figure out the plot.” —Ashleigh Brilliant

90. “I feel like we’re all in a super shitty Escape Room with really obvious clues like, ‘vote’ and ‘believe women’ and ‘don’t put children in cages.’” — Natasha Rothwell

91. “I travel the world, and I'm happy to say that America is still the great melting pot — maybe a chunky stew rather than a melting pot at this point, but you know what I mean.” —Philip Glass

92. “Life is a long road on a short journey.” —James Lendall Basford

93. “What therefore is truth? A mobile army of metaphors, metonymies, anthropomorphisms: in short a sum of human relations which become poetically and rhetorically intensified, metamorphosed, adorned, and after long usage seem to a nation fixed, canonic and binding.” —Nietzsche

94. “Life is a foreign language: all men mispronounce it.” —Christopher Morley

95. “Dying is a wild night and a new road.” —Emily Dickinson

96. “And your very flesh shall be a great poem.” —Walt Whitman

And as a bonus gift, here’s one last metaphor for the road, from one of our brightest philosophers. We’ll let Calvin have the last word:

Did we miss any of your favorite metaphors? Have more metaphor examples for us? Leave them in the (non-metaphorical) box below and we'll add them right in.

6 responses

James Hubbs says:

21/10/2018 – 23:44

Very useful article. Thank you. However, Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury, not George Orwell.

↪️ Reedsy replied:

22/10/2018 – 00:42

Great spot, James! That's now been fixed. Glad that the article was useful :)

Jonboy says:

21/05/2019 – 19:11

That Sylvia Plath quote nailed me. Ouch! Haven't read it but have to now...

21/06/2019 – 17:02

Another metaphor I love is “I’m just like them— an ordinary drone dressed in secrets and lies.” It’s from Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

DAVID COWART says:

18/11/2019 – 01:59

life is a highway is Tom Cochrane, not Rascal Flats

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

22/11/2019 – 12:54

Rascal Flatts did a cover of the song. We were deciding between the two and decided that "Rascal Flatts" sounded funnier :D

Comments are currently closed.

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Using Metaphors in Academic Writing

Have you ever wanted to translate formidable, and sometimes tedious, academic content into one that is easily comprehensible and captivating? Academics are often told that the language of science is formal, precise and descriptive with no space for the abstract. However, using metaphors in your academic writing could be helpful if used to explain complex scientific concepts. Just remember not to be cautious and exercise restraint when using different types of metaphors or it could make your academic writing seem unprofessional.

What is a metaphor?

A metaphor is defined as a figure of speech in which a word or phrase denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. (Merriam-Webster, 2022). Derived from the Greek word ‘metapherein,’ which means ‘to transfer,’ metaphors transfer the meaning of one word to another to encourage a feeling. For example, by writing ‘ All the world’s a stage,’ Shakespeare creates a powerful imagery of ideas through transference. By bringing life to words, metaphors add value to writing and are a great addition to a writer’s toolkit.

Difference between similes and metaphors and analogies

When you’re writing in English, you should know the difference between similes and metaphors and analogies. While these are similar in terms of purpose, i.e., comparing two things, they are different in how they are used. A simile is explicit about the comparison, while a metaphor simply points to the similarities between two things, and an analogy seeks to use comparisons to explain a concept.

This could be confusing, however, there are simple ways to detect the differences between similes and metaphors and analogies. You can identify a simile by looking for the use of words ‘like’ , ‘as’, for example, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates.’ On the other hand, metaphors are more rhetorical and not so literal, for example, ‘The news was music to her ears.’ An analogy is more complex and seeks to point out the similarity in two things to explain a point, for example, ‘Finding the right dress is like finding a needle in a haystack.’

Types of metaphors

There are several different types of metaphors in the English language, here are some of the most common variations.

• Standard metaphor: A standard metaphor directly compares two unrelated items. For instance, by drawing a link between things and feelings, we’ve been able to convey the importance of laughter in this example of a metaphor: Laughter is the best medicine.
• Implied metaphor: This type of metaphor implies comparison without mentioning one of the things being compared. Take this example, where the coach’s voice is implied to be as loud as thunder: “Don’t give up!” thundered the coach from the side lines.
• Visual metaphor: This type of metaphor compares abstract objects or ideas that are difficult to imagine to a visual image that is easily identifiable; providing the former with a pictorial identity. This type of metaphor is most widely used in advertisements. For example, for the phrase ‘ The Earth is melting’ , the visual metaphor used to signal global warming is a melting ice cream.
• Extended metaphor: This type of metaphor extends the comparison throughout an article, document, or stanza. For example, when poet Emily Dickinson wrote “Hope” is the thing with feathers, she used feathers as a metaphor to compare hope to a bird with wings.
• Grammatical metaphors : Also known as nominalization, this type of metaphor rewrites verbs or adjectives as nouns. It’s most commonly used in academic and scientific texts as a way to separate spoken and written language, remove personal pronouns, and write in a concise manner. For instance, ‘ Millions of men, women and children starved to death in the 1943 Bengal Famine as a direct result of Churchill’s policies.’ This can be rephrased as ‘British policies led to the 1943 Bengal Famine, impacting the country’s people and politics for decades.’

Using metaphors in academic writing

Scholars pride themselves on creating research papers that are factually correct and precise, and metaphors may be perceived to detract from this. However, using metaphors may be a great way to explain scientific and technical concepts to readers, who may not know as much about the subject. While metaphors can add to formal academic writing and make it more engaging, it’s important to find a balance. Here are some tips to keep in mind when using metaphors in academic writing:

• Don’t use metaphors as the foundation of your academic content, use them instead to support your argument and drive home a point.
• Choose your metaphors carefully taking into account your primary audience; using figures of speech specific to any one region can introduce confusion instead of clarity.
• Use metaphors wisely and only when needed so not to distract the reader. They should flow naturally and enhance the content rather than detract from the point.

Metaphors are a nifty way to create engaging content even for academic writers. Greek philosopher Aristotle once wrote, “The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor; it is the one thing that cannot be learnt from others.” So get ready to wield that pen and reach for the stars!

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Metaphors and Analogies: How to Use Them in Your Academic Life

Certain Experiences in life can't be captured in simple words. Especially if you are a writer trying to connect with your audience, you will need special threads to evoke exact feelings.

There are many literary devices to spark the readers' imagination, and analogies and metaphors are one of that magical arsenal. They enrich your text and give it the exact depth it will need to increase your readers' heartbeat.

Taking a particular characteristic and associating it with the other not only enriches your text's linguistic quality but gives the reader a correct pathway to deeper layers of a writer's psyche.

In this article, we are going to take a good look at the difference between analogy and metaphor and how to use them in your academic writing, and you will find some of the most powerful examples for each. Learn more about this and other vital linguistic tools on our essay writer service website.

What are Metaphors: Understanding the Concept

Let's discuss the metaphors definition. Metaphors are a figure of speech that compares two unrelated concepts or ideas to create a deeper and more profound meaning. They are a powerful tool in academic writing to express abstract concepts using different analogies, which can improve the reader's understanding of complex topics. Metaphors enable writers to paint vivid pictures in the reader's mind by comparing something familiar with an abstract concept that is harder to grasp.

The following are some of the most famous metaphors and their meanings:

• The world is your oyster - the world is full of opportunities just waiting for you to grab them
• Time is money - time is a valuable commodity that must be spent wisely
• A heart of stone - someone who is emotionally cold and unfeeling

Analogies Meaning: Mastering the Essence

Analogies, on the other hand, are a comparison of two concepts or ideas that have some similarity in their features. They are used to clarify complex ideas or to make a new concept more relatable by comparing it to something that is already familiar.

Analogies are often followed by an explanation of how the two concepts are similar, which helps the reader to understand and make connections between seemingly disparate ideas. For example, in academic writing, if you were explaining the function of a cell membrane, you might use an analogy, such as comparing it to a security gate that regulates what enters and exits a building.

Check out these famous analogies examples:

• Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.
• Teaching a child without education is like building a house without a foundation.
• A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.

Benefits of Metaphors and Analogies in Writing

Chances are you are wondering why we use analogies and metaphors in academic writing anyway?

The reason why metaphors are beneficial to writers, especially in the academic field, is that they offer an effective approach to clarifying intricate concepts and enriching comprehension by linking them to more familiar ideas. Through the use of relatable frames of reference, these figures of speech help authors communicate complicated notions in an appealing and comprehensible way.

Additionally, analogies and metaphors are a way of artistic expression. They bring creativity and imagination to your writing, making it engaging and memorable for your readers. Beautiful words connect with readers on a deeper emotional level, allowing them to better retain and appreciate the information being presented. Such linguistic devices allow readers to open doors for imagination and create visual images in their minds, creating a more individualized experience.

However, one must be mindful not to plagiarize famous analogies and always use original ideas or appropriately cite sources when necessary. Overall, metaphors and analogies add depth and beauty to write-ups, making them memorable for years to come.

Understanding the Difference Between Analogy and Metaphor

While metaphors and analogies serve the similar purpose of clarifying otherwise complex ideas, they are not quite the same. Follow the article and learn how they differ from each other.

One way to differentiate between analogies and metaphors is through the use of 'as' and 'like.' Analogies make an explicit comparison using these words, while metaphors imply a comparison without any overt indication.

There is an obvious difference between their structure. An analogy has two parts; the primary subject, which is unfamiliar, and a secondary subject which is familiar to the reader. For example, 'Life is like a box of chocolates.' The two subjects are compared, highlighting their similarities in order to explain an entire concept.

On the other hand, a metaphor describes an object or idea by referring to something else that is not literally applicable but shares some common features. For example, 'He drowned in a sea of grief.'

The structural difference also defines the difference in their usage. Analogies are often used in academic writing where hard concepts need to be aligned with an easier and more familiar concept. This assists the reader in comprehending complex ideas more effortlessly. Metaphors, on the other hand, are more often used in creative writing or literature. They bring depth and nuance to language, allowing for abstract ideas to be communicated in a more engaging and imaginative way.

Keep reading and discover examples of metaphors and analogies in both academic and creative writing. While you are at it, our expert writers are ready to provide custom essays and papers which incorporate these literary devices in a seamless and effective way.

Using Famous Analogies Can Raise Plagiarism Concerns!

To avoid the trouble, use our online plagiarism checker and be sure that your work is original before submitting it.

Analogies and Metaphors Examples

There were a few analogies and metaphors examples mentioned along the way, but let's explore a few more to truly understand their power. Below you will find the list of metaphors and analogies, and you will never mistake one for the other again.

• Love is like a rose, beautiful but with thorns.
• The human body is like a machine, with many intricate parts working together in harmony.
• The structure of an atom is similar to a miniature solar system, with electrons orbiting around the nucleus.
• A computer's motherboard is like a city's central system, coordinating and communicating all functions.
• The brain is like a muscle that needs constant exercise to function at its best.
• Studying for exams is like training for a marathon; it requires endurance and preparation.
• Explaining a complex scientific concept is like explaining a foreign language to someone who doesn't speak it.
• A successful team is like a well-oiled machine, with each member playing a crucial role.
• Learning a new skill is like planting a seed; it requires nurturing and patience to see growth.
• Navigating through life is like sailing a ship with unpredictable currents and changing winds.
• Life is a journey with many twists and turns along the way
• The world's a stage, and we are all mere players.
• Her eyes were pools of sorrow, reflecting the pain she felt.
• Time is a thief, stealing away moments we can never recapture.
• Love is a flame, burning brightly but at risk of being extinguished.
• His words were daggers piercing through my heart.
• She had a heart of stone, unable to feel empathy or compassion.
• The city was a jungle, teeming with life and activity.
• Hope is a beacon, guiding us through the darkest of times.
• His anger was a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.

How to Use Metaphors and Analogies in Writing: Helpful Tips

If you want your readers to have a memorable and engaging experience, you should give them some level of autonomy within your own text. Metaphors and analogies are powerful tools to let your audience do their personal interpretation and logical conclusion while still guiding them in the right direction.

First, learn about your audience and their level of familiarity with the topic you're writing about. Incorporate metaphors and analogies with familiar references. Remember, literary devices should cleverly explain complex concepts. To achieve the goal, remain coherent with the theme of the paper. But be careful not to overuse metaphors or analogies, as too much of a good thing can make your writing feel overloaded.

Use figurative language to evoke visual imagery and breathe life into your paper. Multiple metaphors can turn your paper into a movie. Visualizing ideas will help readers better understand and retain the information.

In conclusion, anytime is a great time to extend your text's impact by adding a well-chosen metaphor or analogy. But perfection is on the border of good and bad, so keep in mind to remain coherent with the theme and not overuse any literary device.

Metaphors: Unveiling Their Cultural Significance

Metaphors are not limited to just academic writing but can also be found in various forms of culture, such as art, music, film, and television. Metaphors have been a popular element in creative expression for centuries and continue to play a significant role in modern-day culture. For instance, metaphors can help artists convey complex emotions through their music or paintings.

Metaphors are often like time capsules, reflecting the cultural and societal values of a particular era. They shelter the prevailing beliefs, ideals, and philosophies of their time - from the pharaohs of ancient Egypt to modern-day pop culture.

Metaphors often frame our perception of the world and can shape our understanding of our surroundings. Certain words can take on new meanings when used metaphorically in certain cultural contexts and can assimilate to the phenomenon it is often compared to.

Here you can find a list of literature and poems with metaphors:

• William Shakespeare loved using metaphors, and here's one from his infamous Macbeth: 'It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.'
• Victor Hugo offers a timeless metaphor in Les Misérables: 'She is a rose, delicate and beautiful, but with thorns to protect her.'
• Robert Frost reminds us of his genius in the poem The Road Not Traveled: 'The road less traveled.'

Movies also contain a wide range of English metaphors:

• A famous metaphor from Toy Story: 'There's a snake in my boot!'
• A metaphor from the famous movie Silver Lining Playbook: 'Life is a game, and true love is a trophy.'
• An all-encompassing and iconic metaphor from the movie Star Wars: 'Fear is the path to the dark side.'

Don't forget about famous songs with beautiful metaphors!

• Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind uses a powerful metaphor when he asks: 'How many roads must a man walk down?'
• A metaphor from Johnny Cash's song Ring of Fire: 'Love is a burning thing, and it makes a fiery ring.'
• Bonnie Tyler's famous lyrics from Total Eclipse of the Heart make a great metaphor: 'Love is a mystery, everyone must stand alone.'

Keep reading the article to find out how to write an essay with the effective use of metaphors in academic writing.

Exploring Types of Metaphors

There is a wide variety of metaphors used in academic writing, literature, music, and film. Different types of metaphors can be used to convey different meanings and create a specific impact or evoke a vivid image.

Some common types of metaphors include similes / simple metaphors, implicit metaphors, explicit metaphors, extended metaphors, mixed metaphors, and dead metaphors. Let's take a closer look at some of these types.

Simple metaphors or similes highlight the similarity between two things using 'like' or 'as.' For example, 'Her eyes were as bright as the stars.'

Implicit metaphors do not make a direct comparison. Instead, they imply the similarity between the two concepts. An example of an implicit metaphor is 'Her words cut deep,' where the similarity between words and a knife is implied. Good metaphors are often implicit since they require the reader to use their own understanding and imagination to understand the comparison being made.

Explicit metaphors are straightforward, making a clear comparison between two things. For instance, 'He is a shining star.'

An extended metaphor, on the other hand, stretches the comparison throughout an entire literary work or section of a text. This type of metaphor allows the writer to create a more complex and elaborate comparison, enhancing the reader's understanding of the subject.

Mixed metaphors combine two or more unrelated metaphors, often leading to confusion and lack of clarity. If you are not an expert on the subject, try to avoid using confusing literary devices.

Dead metaphors are another danger. These are metaphors that have been overused to the extent that they have lost their original impact, becoming clichés and not being able to evoke original visual images.

In academic writing, metaphors create a powerful impact on the reader, adding color and depth to everyday language. However, they need to be well-placed and intentional. Using an inappropriate or irrelevant metaphor may confuse readers and distract them from the main message. If you want to avoid trouble, pay for essay writing service that can help you use metaphors effectively in your academic writing.

Exploring Types of Analogies

Like metaphors, analogies are divided into several categories. Some of the common types include literal analogies, figurative analogies, descriptive analogies, causal analogies, and false/dubious analogies. In academic writing, analogies are useful for explaining complex ideas or phenomena in a way that is easy to understand.

Literal analogies are direct comparisons of two things with similar characteristics or features. For instance, 'The brain is like a computer.'

Figurative analogies, on the other hand, compare two unrelated things to highlight a particular characteristic. For example, 'The mind is a garden that needs to be tended.'

Descriptive analogies focus on the detailed similarities between two things, even if they are not immediately apparent. For example, 'The relationship between a supervisor and an employee is like that of a coach and a player, where the coach guides the player to perform at their best.'

Causal analogies are used to explain the relationship between a cause and an effect. For instance, 'The increase in global temperatures is like a fever caused by environmental pollution.'

Finally, false/dubious analogies are comparisons that suggest a similarity between two things that actually have little in common. For example, 'Getting a college degree is like winning the lottery.'

If you are trying to explain a foreign concept to an audience that may not be familiar with it, analogies can help create a bridge and make the concept more relatable. However, coming up with a perfect analogy takes a lot of time. If you are looking for ways on how to write an essay fast , explore our blog and learn even more.

If you want your academic papers to stand out and be engaging for the reader, using metaphors and analogies can be a powerful tool. Now that you know the difference between analogy and metaphor, you can use them wisely to create a bridge between complex ideas and your audience.

Explore our blog for more information on different writing techniques, and check out our essay writing service for more help on crafting the perfect papers.

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Related Articles

• Literary Terms

When & How to Write a Metaphor

• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Write a Metaphor

How to Write a Metaphor

A. avoid clichés.

Very often, you’ll write metaphors without realizing it. Since certain metaphors are very common, many of them have become  clichéd , or overused.

Normal Sentence:

My day was emotionally jolting.

With Cliché Metaphor:

My day was an emotional roller-coaster .

Here and there, clichés are harmless, but they can start to add up and become repetitive and unoriginal if you use too many of them. Don’t worry about this as long as you use the clichés sparingly.

Here are a few more examples of metaphors that have become clichés:

• Ticking time bomb
• Tip of the iceberg
• Slippery slope
• Going the extra mile
• Icy personality
• Turning in one’s grave
• About to explode (from anger)

B. Tips on Forming Creative Metaphors

The real trick, though, is to write original metaphors that really stick in the reader’s mind, and there’s no hard-and-fast rule for accomplishing this. It takes a lot of creativity to write a good metaphor!

One way to practice is to start with the phrase “life is…and I am…” By starting with one metaphor (for life) and extending it to yourself, you can practice thinking systematically about the meanings of your metaphors, while at the same time working on your creative skills.

Life is a canvas, and I am a painter.

Life is a canvas, and I am the paint.

Life is an hourglass, and I am a single grain of sand.

Life is an hourglass, and I am about to turn it over once more.

Life is a classroom, and I am sitting in the front row.

Life is a classroom, and I am sitting in the back row.

Notice how different these statements are, and how different they all are from a cliché.

C. Avoid mixed metaphors

This is an important point for using metaphors in your writing – once you’ve decided on a metaphor, you have to see it through  for it to have the strongest effect. Don’t just forget about it and pick up a new metaphor immediately! Too many different metaphors in your writing can make it confusing or too over the top.

A mixed metaphor combines one or more metaphors in a sentence in a way that doesn’t really make sense. For example, imagine if you tried to encourage your staff to excel with a project by saying “let’s get back out on the court and hit this one out of the park!” You’d be combining a basketball metaphor with a baseball metaphor—really, you should say “let’s get back out on the field and hit this one out of the park!”

Here’s an example of a triple mixed metaphor:

Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat. I see him floating in the air. But mark me, sir, I will nip him in the bud.   ( Garner’s Modern American Usage , Bryan A. Garner)

First, we have the common metaphor “I smell a rat,” to describe a person committing a betrayal. But then Garner uses an unrelated metaphor to describe him as “floating,” finally concluding with a metaphor that refers to plants.

When to Use Metaphor

Strictly speaking, metaphors should be used only in creative writing since they rely on figurative language (not literal meaning) and are therefore untrue statements. Metaphors are also often vague and may sound too colloquial for formal work. Sometimes a subtle metaphor will slip into  formal work(especially in the form of common phrases and clichés). This is OK now and then, but it’s best to avoid it if possible.

For example, if you were writing a paper on Abraham Lincoln, it would sound pretty strange to say he had a “heart of gold.” First of all, it’s a cliché. Second, it’s not literally true. And third, it doesn’t really tell you much about Lincoln. So, it’s better to say something more specific and concrete, like “For Lincoln, compassion was one of the most important moral virtues.”

There is a rhetorical device though (that people often confuse with metaphor), that you’ll see in formal writing all the time. This is simile . Similes explicitly state that two things are alike, rather than simply equating them as a metaphor does. This can be a very useful way to explain complex ideas:

With Simile:

“The magnetosphere works like a big tinted window, protecting the earth from the sun’s harmful rays while still letting some light and heat pass through.”

With Metaphor:

“The magnetosphere is a big tinted window…”

Using metaphor, in this case, makes the sentence untrue. But the simile is a helpful tool for clarifying the writer’s point.

None of this, of course, applies to creative writing. In creative writing, metaphors are extremely effective – as long as you don’t mix them!

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

26 Metaphors for Essays: Crafting Literary Masterpieces

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Welcome to the realm of literary expression, where words transcend their literal meanings. In the intricate dance of language , metaphors emerge as poetic devices, breathing life into essays. This guide delves deep into the art of crafting essays with 26 metaphors, unraveling the tapestry of creativity and linguistic elegance.

26 Metaphors for Essays

• The Essay as a Journey : Navigating through the pages is like embarking on a literary expedition, each paragraph a step forward in exploration.
• Words as Building Blocks: Just as a builder meticulously selects bricks, the writer chooses words to construct the foundation of their essay.
• Essays as Time Capsules of Thought: Imagine essays as sealed capsules, preserving and encapsulating the essence of thoughts for future revelation.
• The Pen as a Sword: In the hands of a skilled writer, the pen transforms into a mighty sword, carving narratives that leave a lasting impact.
• The Canvas of Ideas: Essays are blank canvases awaiting the strokes of creativity, each idea a vibrant color adding depth to the masterpiece.
• The Musical Composition of Sentences: Sentences harmonize like musical notes, with metaphors as the chords that create a symphony of literary brilliance.
• Metaphors as Sparks of Imagination: Like sparks that ignite a fire, metaphors fuel the flames of imagination, turning the mundane into the extraordinary.
• Weaving Metaphors in the Fabric of Expression: Writers, akin to skilled weavers, interlace metaphors into the very fabric of their expression, creating textured narratives.
• The Alchemy of Creativity in Writing: Metaphors, like alchemists’ potions, possess the transformative power to turn ordinary words into literary gold.
• Essays as Gardens of Ideas: Cultivating ideas in essays is akin to tending a garden, with each thought blooming like a unique, vibrant flower.
• The Essayist as an Architect: Just as an architect plans a structure, essayists carefully design their compositions, selecting metaphors as architectural embellishments.
• Metaphors as Bridges: In the vast landscape of ideas, metaphors act as bridges, connecting the reader to the writer’s thoughts seamlessly.
• The Essayist as a Sculptor: Sculpting words, essayists chisel away the unnecessary, revealing the masterpiece within, with metaphors adding intricate details.
• The Essay as a Puzzle: Each paragraph in an essay is a puzzle piece, and metaphors are the connectors that bring coherence to the overall picture.
• Metaphors as Light in Darkness: Just as a beam of light dispels darkness, metaphors illuminate essays, revealing hidden nuances and depths.
• Essays as Culinary Delights: Crafting an essay is like preparing a culinary masterpiece, with metaphors as the seasonings that enhance the flavor.
• The Essay as a Conversation: Essays engage in a dialogue with readers, and metaphors serve as eloquent conversationalists, making the exchange more dynamic.
• Metaphors as Windows: They open windows to new perspectives, allowing readers to view familiar concepts in refreshing and insightful ways.
• The Essay as a Symphony: Like a symphony, essays require harmony, and metaphors contribute the musicality that resonates with the reader.
• Essays as Mirrors: Reflecting thoughts and ideas, essays are mirrors that reveal the depth of the writer’s insights, with metaphors as the silver lining.
• The Essayist as a Gardener of Ideas: Just as a gardener tends to plants, essayists nurture ideas, with metaphors acting as the fertilizer that promotes growth.
• Metaphors as Spice in Writing: Essays become literary dishes, and metaphors are the spices that infuse the writing with zest and vibrancy.
• Essays as Constellations: Like stars in a constellation, each idea in an essay forms a unique pattern, with metaphors connecting them into a meaningful whole.
• The Essayist as a Tour Guide: In the journey of an essay, the writer is a guide, and metaphors are the landmarks that make the experience memorable.
• Metaphors as Puzzle Pieces: Each metaphor fits into the essay like a puzzle piece, contributing to the overall coherence and completeness.
• The Essay as a Tapestry: Woven with threads of ideas, an essay is a tapestry, and metaphors add intricate patterns that make it visually and intellectually appealing.

These metaphors provide imaginative ways to conceptualize the art of essay writing.

Words as Building Blocks

In the intricate process of crafting an essay, words serve as the foundational building blocks, carefully selected to construct a robust structure that conveys the intended message. This metaphor emphasizes the importance of precision and thoughtfulness in word choice.

When to Use:

• Formal Context: In academic or professional essays where clarity and precision are paramount.
• Informal Context: When sharing personal reflections or experiences in a blog post.

Example: Formal Context: “In scholarly endeavors, each word acts as a building block, contributing to the solid foundation of academic discourse.”

Informal Context: “As I penned down my thoughts, I realized how each word became a building block, shaping the narrative of my personal journey.”

Variations:

• Colleague Interaction: “In our collaborative report, let’s ensure every word functions as a building block for a cohesive document.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your storytelling is fantastic! Each word feels like a building block, constructing a vivid picture in my mind .”

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Enhances clarity, strengthens the essay’s structure.
• Cons: Risk of overthinking word choice; may slow down the writing process.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that each word used aligns with the overall tone and purpose of the essay, maintaining consistency and coherence.

Definition: The metaphor “words as building blocks” underscores the foundational role of individual words in constructing a well-organized and impactful essay.

• Consider the connotation and nuance of each word.
• Use a diverse vocabulary to add richness to the essay.

Essays as Time Capsules of Thought

As we delve into the realm of essay writing, envisioning essays as time capsules offers a poignant perspective. Each essay becomes a vessel, encapsulating and preserving the essence of thoughts, ideas, and perspectives for future revelations.

• Formal Context: Reflecting on the historical significance or evolution of ideas.
• Informal Context: Sharing personal reflections on life experiences.

Example: Formal Context: “In academic writing, essays act as time capsules, capturing the intellectual evolution of concepts over the years.”

Informal Context: “As I penned my reflections on the past year, I realized my journal entries serve as time capsules, preserving my thoughts and emotions.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Your thesis is a time capsule, showcasing the evolution of your research journey.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your travel essay reads like a time capsule, vividly preserving the essence of your adventures.”
• Pros: Adds depth and significance to the essay; offers a reflective element.
• Cons: May require a thoughtful selection of ideas for preservation.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure the ideas encapsulated in the essay align with the overall theme and purpose, maintaining coherence.

Definition: The metaphor “essays as time capsules” highlights the role of essays in preserving and encapsulating thoughts and ideas for future reference.

• Clearly define the time frame or context within which the ideas are encapsulated.
• Use vivid language to enhance the time-capsule imagery.

The Pen as a Sword

In the arsenal of writing metaphors, the imagery of the pen as a sword captures the transformative power wielded by skilled writers. Every stroke becomes a strategic move, carving narratives with precision and leaving a lasting impact on readers.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the persuasive and influential nature of academic or professional writing.
• Informal Context: Crafting compelling narratives in personal essays or storytelling.

Example: Formal Context: “In legal discourse, the pen is indeed a sword, capable of shaping and reshaping the boundaries of jurisprudence.”

Informal Context: “As I penned my travel memoir, I felt the pen transform into a sword, carving tales of adventure and exploration.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach this proposal as if the pen is a sword, crafting a persuasive argument.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your creative writing is a sword, cutting through ordinary narratives with a unique edge.”
• Pros: Emphasizes the impact of words; encourages powerful and persuasive writing.
• Cons: Requires a nuanced approach to avoid excessive or inappropriate use.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that the metaphor aligns with the tone and objective of the writing, maintaining professionalism and impact.

Definition: The metaphor “the pen as a sword” symbolizes the influential and transformative power of words, likening them to a weapon in the hands of a skilled writer.

• Use this metaphor judiciously to highlight key points or arguments.
• Consider the ethical implications of wielding the “pen-sword.”

The Canvas of Ideas

In the realm of essay writing, viewing essays as blank canvases awaiting strokes of creativity emphasizes the unlimited potential for expression. Each idea is a vibrant color, contributing to the masterpiece being painted with words.

• Formal Context: Encouraging creativity in academic writing, particularly in subjects where innovative ideas are valued.
• Informal Context: Expressing personal thoughts, feelings, or reflections with a creative flair.

Example: Formal Context: “In scientific research, essays serve as canvases, allowing researchers to paint groundbreaking ideas that challenge existing paradigms.”

Informal Context: “My personal essay on resilience became a canvas of ideas, each paragraph a stroke depicting my journey through challenges.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Approach your thesis as a canvas, where each idea contributes to the overall masterpiece.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay on friendship is a vibrant canvas, portraying the beauty of companionship.”
• Pros: Fosters creativity; encourages a fresh and innovative approach to writing.
• Cons: Requires a balance to prevent excessive embellishment that might dilute the message.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that the metaphor aligns with the overall purpose of the essay, maintaining coherence and relevance.

Definition: The metaphor “the canvas of ideas” illustrates the creative and expressive nature of essays, likening them to a blank canvas waiting to be adorned.

• Encourage experimentation with ideas, allowing for a diverse and colorful essay.
• Use vivid language to enhance the imagery of the canvas.

The Musical Composition of Sentences

In the symphony of essay writing, sentences harmonize like musical notes, and metaphors act as the chords that create a melodious and captivating composition. This metaphor highlights the rhythmic flow and cadence that metaphors contribute to the overall structure of an essay.

• Formal Context: Enhancing the eloquence of academic writing, particularly in literature or humanities disciplines.
• Informal Context: Infusing storytelling with a rhythmic and musical quality, making the narrative more engaging.

Example: Formal Context: “In literary analysis, consider each sentence as a musical note, and metaphors as the chords that elevate the entire composition.”

Informal Context: “As I crafted my personal essay, I aimed for a musical composition of sentences, where metaphors acted as harmonious chords guiding the reader through the narrative.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach the introduction like a musical composition, where each sentence sets the tone for the entire essay.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your storytelling reads like a musical composition, with metaphors serving as delightful harmonies.”
• Pros: Enhances the rhythm and flow of writing; adds a lyrical quality to the essay.
• Cons: Requires careful consideration to maintain coherence and prevent overuse.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that the musical metaphor aligns with the overall tone and theme of the essay, creating a harmonious blend.

Definition: The metaphor “the musical composition of sentences” evokes the rhythmic and harmonious quality of well-crafted sentences in essay writing.

• Pay attention to sentence structure and variety to create a musical rhythm.
• Experiment with pacing, using metaphors strategically to enhance the cadence.

Metaphors as Sparks of Imagination

Unlocking the door to creativity, metaphors serve as sparks that ignite the flames of imagination in the essay-writing process. This metaphor emphasizes the transformative power of metaphors in turning mundane concepts into vivid and imaginative expressions.

• Formal Context: Encouraging imaginative thinking in academic or technical writing, especially in fields where creativity is valued.
• Informal Context: Adding a touch of flair to personal narratives or creative non-fiction.

Example: Formal Context: “In scientific discourse, metaphors act as sparks, igniting new perspectives and fostering innovative approaches to complex problems.”

Informal Context: “As I delved into my reflective essay, I realized how metaphors served as sparks, transforming ordinary memories into vivid and imaginative stories.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Think of metaphors as sparks in your thesis, infusing your research with imaginative and innovative thinking.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your metaphors are sparks of creativity, turning a simple story into a captivating adventure.”
• Pros: Stimulates creative thinking; adds a dynamic and engaging element to writing.
• Cons: Requires a balance to prevent excessive metaphorical embellishment.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that the metaphor aligns with the context and purpose of the essay, sparking imagination without veering off-topic.

Definition: The metaphor “metaphors as sparks of imagination” emphasizes the role of metaphors in sparking creative thinking and imaginative expression in essays.

• Experiment with unexpected metaphors to surprise and engage the reader.
• Use metaphors strategically to convey abstract concepts in a concrete and imaginative manner.

Weaving Metaphors in the Fabric of Expression

Imagine the act of essay writing as a textile art, where writers weave metaphors into the very fabric of their expression. This metaphor underscores the intricate and deliberate nature of incorporating metaphors seamlessly into the narrative.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the artistry of language in academic or professional writing, particularly in literature or arts-related subjects.
• Informal Context: Conveying personal stories with a rich tapestry of metaphors, making the narrative more engaging.

Example: Formal Context: “In art history essays, consider metaphors as threads, intricately woven into the fabric of expression, adding depth and nuance to your analysis.”

Informal Context: “As I shared my life experiences in the essay, each metaphor became a thread, weaving through the fabric of expression and creating a vivid tapestry of my journey.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach the conclusion like skilled weavers, weaving metaphors into the fabric of expression for a memorable ending.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your metaphors are like threads, weaving through the fabric of your storytelling, creating a colorful and captivating narrative.”
• Pros: Enhances the richness of language; creates a visually appealing and immersive experience for the reader.
• Cons: Requires careful consideration to maintain coherence and prevent metaphorical overload.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors are seamlessly integrated into the overall narrative, contributing to the fabric of expression without overshadowing the main message.

Definition: The metaphor “weaving metaphors in the fabric of expression” portrays essay writing as a deliberate and artistic process where metaphors are integral to the overall composition.

• Use metaphors strategically to emphasize key points and evoke emotions.
• Ensure the metaphorical threads align with the thematic focus of the essay.

The Alchemy of Creativity in Writing

In the enchanting world of essay writing, metaphors act as alchemists’ potions, possessing the transformative power to turn ordinary words into literary gold. This metaphor emphasizes the magical and elevating quality that metaphors bring to the craft of writing.

• Formal Context: Encouraging creative thinking and expression in academic or professional essays, especially in disciplines that value originality.
• Informal Context: Elevating personal narratives or creative non-fiction with a touch of literary alchemy.

Example: Formal Context: “In philosophical discourse, metaphors act as alchemists, transmuting abstract concepts into literary gold, making complex ideas accessible and engaging.”

Informal Context: “As I explored my emotions in the essay, metaphors worked like alchemy, turning ordinary feelings into a golden tapestry of introspection.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Think of metaphors as your writing alchemy, transforming ordinary ideas into literary treasures in your dissertation.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your metaphors are like alchemy, turning everyday stories into captivating narratives with a touch of magic.”
• Pros: Elevates writing to a higher level; adds a touch of magic and allure to the narrative.
• Cons: Requires careful selection to avoid overuse and maintain authenticity.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors align with the overall tone and purpose of the essay, contributing to the alchemy of creativity without becoming distracting.

Definition: The metaphor “the alchemy of creativity in writing” illustrates the transformative power of metaphors, turning ordinary words into literary gold in the process of essay crafting.

• Experiment with unconventional metaphors to infuse a sense of magic and wonder into the writing.
• Use metaphors sparingly to maintain their enchanting impact.

Essays as Gardens of Ideas

Embark with me on the metaphorical journey where essays are likened to gardens, and ideas flourish like vibrant flowers, adding color, depth, and fragrance to the narrative. This metaphor emphasizes the nurturing aspect of essay writing, where writers carefully cultivate and present a diverse array of ideas.

• Formal Context: Encouraging a comprehensive exploration of ideas in academic writing, especially in subjects that require depth and diversity of thought.
• Informal Context: Crafting personal essays that showcase a rich tapestry of thoughts and reflections.

Example: Formal Context: “In sociological essays, think of ideas as blossoming flowers, each representing a unique perspective contributing to the overall garden of knowledge.”

Informal Context: “My reflective essay on personal growth became a garden of ideas, where each paragraph bloomed like a distinct flower, revealing a different facet of my journey.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach this research paper like gardeners, nurturing diverse ideas that collectively enrich the overall narrative.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your essay is like a garden of ideas, with each thought blooming into a beautiful flower, creating a captivating bouquet of storytelling.”
• Pros: Encourages a holistic exploration of ideas; adds depth and diversity to the essay.
• Cons: Requires careful organization to ensure each idea contributes cohesively to the overall narrative.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that each idea is carefully cultivated and presented, contributing meaningfully to the overarching theme of the essay.

Definition: The metaphor “essays as gardens of ideas” conveys the nurturing and diverse nature of ideas in the essay-writing process, akin to tending to a garden.

• Cultivate a variety of ideas to create a rich and engaging narrative.
• Ensure a balance between depth and breadth in exploring different perspectives.

The Essayist as an Architect

Picture the essayist as an architect, meticulously planning the structure of an essay, with metaphors acting as architectural embellishments that enhance the overall design. This metaphor underscores the importance of thoughtful composition and strategic use of metaphors in crafting compelling essays.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the strategic organization of ideas in academic or professional essays, especially in disciplines where structure is crucial.
• Informal Context: Applying a deliberate and structured approach to storytelling in personal essays.

Example: Formal Context: “In business essays, consider each section as a blueprint, and metaphors as architectural embellishments that reinforce the solidity of your argument.”

Informal Context: “As I constructed my narrative essay, I approached it like an architect, planning the structure with metaphors as decorative elements, enhancing the overall design.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Approach your dissertation like an architect, with each chapter as a carefully planned structure, and metaphors as essential design elements.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay is like a well-designed building, with metaphors serving as architectural details that make the storytelling more compelling.”
• Pros: Enhances the organization and coherence of the essay; adds a visual and structural dimension to the writing.
• Cons: Requires careful planning to ensure metaphors align with the overall structure and theme.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors contribute to the architectural integrity of the essay, reinforcing the structure without overshadowing the core message.

Definition: The metaphor “the essayist as an architect” paints a vivid picture of the deliberate planning and structured approach to essay writing, with metaphors as integral architectural elements.

• Plan the essay structure carefully, assigning specific roles to different sections.
• Use metaphors strategically to reinforce key points and contribute to the overall coherence.

Metaphors as Bridges

Imagine the vast landscape of ideas in an essay as a series of islands, and metaphors as bridges that seamlessly connect these intellectual realms. This metaphor highlights the role of metaphors in creating smooth transitions between different concepts, ensuring a cohesive and engaging journey for the reader.

• Formal Context: Facilitating the logical progression of ideas in academic writing, especially in essays that explore diverse topics.
• Informal Context: Connecting personal anecdotes or reflections in a way that feels natural and effortless.

Example: Formal Context: “In political science essays, think of metaphors as bridges, linking theories and real-world applications to create a cohesive and insightful narrative.”

Informal Context: “As I shared my travel experiences, metaphors acted as bridges, seamlessly connecting one destination to another, creating a fluid and captivating storytelling experience.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s treat each section of our report as an island, and use metaphors as bridges to connect the ideas, ensuring a smooth transition between concepts.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your essay feels like a journey with metaphors serving as bridges, linking different aspects of your story in a way that flows naturally.”
• Pros: Enhances the flow of ideas; ensures a seamless transition between different sections.
• Cons: Requires thoughtful selection to maintain coherence and avoid abrupt shifts.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors serve as effective bridges, guiding the reader from one idea to the next without causing confusion or disconnection.

Definition: The metaphor “metaphors as bridges” emphasizes the role of metaphors in creating connections and maintaining a smooth flow of ideas in an essay.

• Use metaphors strategically at key transition points to guide the reader through the essay.
• Ensure that each metaphorical bridge enhances the overall coherence and narrative progression.

The Essayist as a Sculptor

Envision the essayist as a sculptor, shaping words and ideas with precision, and metaphors as intricate details that add depth and nuance to the crafted piece. This metaphor emphasizes the deliberate and artistic nature of essay writing, where every word contributes to the overall composition.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the meticulous crafting of arguments and analysis in academic essays, particularly in disciplines that value precision.
• Informal Context: Adding an artistic flair to personal essays, where the narrative is shaped with care and intention.

Example: Formal Context: “In literary analysis, view metaphors as the sculptor’s chisel, carving out layers of meaning and interpretation with precision.”

Informal Context: “As I penned my reflective essay, I approached it like a sculptor, molding my experiences with metaphors as intricate details, shaping the narrative with care.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Consider each paragraph as a piece of marble, and metaphors as the sculptor’s tools that refine and enhance the overall structure of your thesis.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay is like a sculpture, with metaphors as the detailed carvings that make the storytelling more vivid and impactful.”
• Pros: Elevates the writing to an artistic level; adds precision and depth to the overall composition.
• Cons: Requires careful consideration to avoid excessive ornamentation.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors act as sculptor’s tools, enhancing the clarity and impact of the essay without overshadowing the main message.

Definition: The metaphor “the essayist as a sculptor” conveys the intentional and artistic approach to essay writing, where metaphors serve as tools for refinement and precision.

• Approach each paragraph with the intention of sculpting a clear and impactful narrative.
• Use metaphors sparingly to maintain the overall focus and coherence of the essay.

The Essay as a Symphony

Envision the essay as a symphony, where each paragraph contributes a unique note, and metaphors act as harmonious chords that resonate throughout the composition. This metaphor underscores the rhythmic and coordinated nature of a well-structured essay, where metaphors play a vital role in creating a harmonious narrative.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the orchestration of ideas in academic essays, particularly in subjects that require a cohesive and interconnected argument.
• Informal Context: Crafting personal essays with a rhythmic flow, where each metaphor contributes to the overall harmony of the narrative.

Example: Formal Context: “In historical essays, metaphors function as chords, weaving through each paragraph and creating a symphony of interconnected ideas that resonate with the reader.”

Informal Context: “As I shared my life story in the essay, I aimed for a symphony of emotions, where metaphors acted as chords, adding depth and resonance to my narrative.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach the conclusion as the grand finale of our symphony, using metaphors as chords to create a lasting impression on our readers.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your essay reads like a symphony, with metaphors serving as harmonious chords that make the storytelling captivating and memorable.”
• Pros: Enhances the overall rhythm and coherence of the essay; creates a memorable and engaging reading experience.
• Cons: Requires careful selection to maintain thematic unity and prevent discordant notes.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors contribute to the symphonic nature of the essay, creating a cohesive and well-orchestrated composition.

Definition: The metaphor “the essay as a symphony” conveys the coordinated and rhythmic nature of a well-structured essay, where metaphors function as harmonious chords.

• Use metaphors strategically to emphasize key themes and create a sense of unity.
• Consider the pacing and placement of metaphors to enhance the overall symphonic experience.

The Essayist as a Navigator

Picture the essayist as a navigator, steering through the vast sea of ideas with precision, and metaphors as navigational tools that guide readers through the intellectual journey. This metaphor emphasizes the strategic use of metaphors to ensure clarity and coherence in the exploration of complex topics.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the logical progression and navigation of ideas in academic essays, especially in disciplines that require a clear and structured argument.
• Informal Context: Creating personal essays where metaphors act as guiding lights, making the narrative accessible and engaging.

Example: Formal Context: “In scientific essays, metaphors function as navigational tools, guiding readers through the intricate concepts and ensuring a clear understanding of the research.”

Informal Context: “As I delved into philosophical reflections, I saw myself as a navigator, using metaphors as guiding stars to lead readers through the complexities of my thoughts.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Treat your literature review as a navigational map, and use metaphors as tools to guide your readers through the diverse scholarly perspectives.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay is like a journey with you as the navigator, and metaphors as compass points that make the exploration both insightful and enjoyable.”
• Pros: Enhances the clarity and accessibility of complex ideas; guides readers through a well-structured intellectual journey.
• Cons: Requires thoughtful selection to avoid confusion and maintain the logical flow.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors function as effective navigational tools, aiding readers in understanding the progression of ideas in the essay.

Definition: The metaphor “the essayist as a navigator” portrays the intentional and strategic role of metaphors in guiding readers through the intellectual landscape of an essay.

• Use metaphors to introduce and connect key concepts in a way that aids understanding.
• Ensure that each metaphor aligns with the overall theme and purpose of the essay.

The Essay as a Kaleidoscope

Imagine the essay as a kaleidoscope, where ideas and perspectives shift and blend, creating a vibrant and ever-changing pattern. Metaphors, in this context, serve as the colorful elements that contribute to the kaleidoscopic richness of the narrative.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the diversity of perspectives and ideas in academic writing, particularly in subjects that encourage varied viewpoints.
• Informal Context: Crafting personal essays with a dynamic and ever-evolving exploration of experiences and reflections.

Example: Formal Context: “In cultural studies essays, metaphors function as elements in a kaleidoscope, allowing readers to see the same topic from different angles, creating a nuanced and comprehensive understanding.”

Informal Context: “As I shared my personal journey, I envisioned my essay as a kaleidoscope, with each metaphor adding a burst of color, shaping the ever-shifting pattern of my experiences.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach this interdisciplinary essay as a kaleidoscope, where each section contributes a unique perspective, and metaphors act as the vibrant elements that tie everything together.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your storytelling is like a kaleidoscope, with metaphors adding diverse hues to the narrative, creating a rich and captivating tapestry.”
• Pros: Adds richness and diversity to the narrative; encourages readers to appreciate multiple facets of a topic.
• Cons: Requires careful organization to prevent the essay from becoming disjointed.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors contribute to the kaleidoscopic nature of the essay, enhancing the overall vibrancy and diversity of perspectives.

Definition: The metaphor “the essay as a kaleidoscope” portrays the dynamic and ever-changing nature of ideas and perspectives, with metaphors as key elements that contribute to the kaleidoscopic richness.

• Use metaphors strategically to explore different aspects of a topic.
• Ensure a cohesive and well-structured essay, even as perspectives shift and evolve.

The Essayist as a Gardener of Thought

Visualize the essayist as a gardener, tending to the seeds of thoughts and ideas with care, and metaphors as the nutrients that enrich the intellectual soil. This metaphor emphasizes the nurturing aspect of essay writing, where metaphors play a vital role in cultivating a fertile ground for insightful discussions.

• Formal Context: Encouraging the development and growth of ideas in academic writing, particularly in essays that require in-depth exploration.
• Informal Context: Crafting personal essays with a focus on the careful cultivation of thoughts and reflections.

Example: Formal Context: “In psychological essays, metaphors serve as nutrients for the intellectual garden, fostering the growth of theories and facilitating a deeper understanding of complex concepts.”

Informal Context: “As I explored my personal beliefs, I saw myself as a gardener of thoughts, using metaphors as nutrients to cultivate a rich and flourishing landscape of ideas.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Approach your thesis as a garden of thoughts, and let metaphors act as the nutrients that enhance the intellectual richness of your research.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay feels like a carefully tended garden, with metaphors serving as nutrients that make the ideas flourish and bloom.”
• Pros: Fosters the growth and development of ideas; contributes to a nuanced and well-explored narrative.
• Cons: Requires thoughtful selection to ensure metaphors align with the overall theme and purpose.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors act as effective nutrients, enhancing the intellectual soil and contributing to the overall richness of the essay.

Definition: The metaphor “the essayist as a gardener of thought” conveys the intentional and nurturing approach to essay writing, where metaphors play a vital role in fostering the growth of insightful ideas.

• Use metaphors strategically to enrich the intellectual landscape of the essay.
• Ensure a balanced and well-nurtured exploration of ideas, even as metaphors contribute to their growth.

How do metaphors enhance essays?

Metaphors elevate essays by adding depth and vividness, making abstract concepts relatable and engaging.

• Use metaphors when you want to evoke emotions and create a lasting impression.
• Employ metaphors in descriptive and narrative writing to paint vivid pictures for your readers.

Example: “Incorporating metaphors in your essay enhances the overall reading experience, transforming abstract concepts into tangible images that resonate with your audience.”

Tip: “Experiment with various metaphors to find the ones that best convey your intended message. Consider the emotions and images each metaphor evokes.”

Can I use metaphors in academic essays?

Absolutely! Thoughtful use of metaphors can enhance the clarity and impact of academic writing.

• Introduce metaphors sparingly in academic essays to emphasize key points.
• Ensure that the metaphor aligns with the formal tone of academic writing and enhances understanding.

Example: “While maintaining academic rigor, strategic use of metaphors can elucidate complex theories and captivate the reader’s attention in your research paper.”

Tip: “Avoid clichéd metaphors in academic writing. Instead, opt for metaphors that bring fresh perspectives to your subject matter.”

Are clichéd metaphors a red flag?

While clichés should be used sparingly, a well-placed familiar metaphor can effectively convey ideas.

How to choose the right metaphor?

Consider your message and audience; choose metaphors that resonate and enhance your intended meaning.

Can metaphors be humorous in essays?

Certainly! Humorous metaphors inject personality into your writing, making it more enjoyable for readers.

Do metaphors work in technical writing?

Yes, when used judiciously. Metaphors can simplify complex ideas, aiding understanding in technical writing.

In conclusion, the arsenal of metaphors is a potent tool for crafting essays that linger in the minds of readers. This guide has unveiled the artistry of metaphorical expression, encouraging writers to embrace creativity and wield metaphors with finesse. As you embark on your essay-writing journey, remember the transformative power of metaphors in shaping literary masterpieces.

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College Nut

College Essays with Metaphors: A Guide to Crafting Powerful Personal Statements

What are college essays.

College essays are a crucial part of the application process, which can be the deciding factor in determining whether you get into your dream school. They are an opportunity for you to showcase your writing skills, creativity, and personality, all while convincing admissions officers that you are a good fit for their institution.

Why are Metaphors Important in College Essays?

Metaphors are a type of figure of speech that compares two things that may seem unrelated, but share common characteristics or traits. They add depth and meaning to your writing and allow you to express abstract or complex ideas in a more relatable and engaging way.

Using metaphors in your college essays can help you stand out from other applicants, as they demonstrate your ability to think critically, use language creatively, and connect seemingly disparate ideas. They can also make your essay more memorable and impactful, as they provide a unique perspective and show your personality and values.

An Example of a Metaphor in a College Essay

Imagine you are writing an essay about your passion for environmental activism. You could write: “I’ve always been drawn to the ocean like a moth to a flame. Its vastness and mystery have always fascinated me, but with every beach cleanup and marine life rescue, I feel like I’m slowly putting out the fire that threatens to consume it.” This metaphor compares the ocean to a flame and implies that the author is working to protect it from destruction.

How to Use Metaphors in College Essays

Using metaphors effectively in your college essays requires careful thought and planning. Here are some tips to help you incorporate metaphors into your writing:

Start with a brainstorming session: Think about the qualities, experiences, and emotions that define you and your story. Consider different objects or concepts that could represent these ideas, such as a rollercoaster, a puzzle, or a tree.

Choose a metaphor that fits your story: Once you have a list of potential metaphors, choose one that best represents your story and message. Make sure it is appropriate to the tone and topic of your essay.

Use the metaphor throughout your essay: Once you have chosen a metaphor, use it consistently throughout your essay to reinforce your message and create a cohesive narrative.

Don’t force it: While metaphors can be powerful tools, don’t force them into your essay if they don’t fit naturally. Use them sparingly and only where they add value to your writing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Metaphors in College Essays

While metaphors can add depth and meaning to your writing, they can also backfire if not used correctly. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using metaphors in your college essays:

Overusing clichés: While some metaphors are universally understood, using clichéd or overused metaphors can make your writing seem unoriginal and uninspired.

Being too abstract: While metaphors can be used to express abstract ideas, if they are too obscure or disconnected from your message, they can confuse readers and detract from your point.

Stretching the metaphor too far: While it’s important to use metaphors consistently throughout your essay, stretching them too far or using them inappropriately can undermine your credibility and make your writing seem contrived.

In conclusion, metaphors are powerful tools that can help you express complex ideas and create a more engaging and memorable college essay. By following the tips outlined above and avoiding common mistakes, you can use metaphors to showcase your unique perspective and stand out from other applicants.

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⇒ 1 Introduction to Metaphors

⇒ 2 What is a metaphor, grammatically speaking?

⇒ 3 Metaphors as a way to think

⇒ 4 Types of metaphors and their origins

⇒ 5 Metaphors in advertising and politics

⇒ 6 Module discussion/reflection activity

⇒ 7 Key points

⇒ 8 Key concepts

Watch the video introducing this module ⇒ (coming soon)

1 introduction to metaphors.

Module preview questions

When you hear the word “metaphor” what comes to your mind? What examples can you think of? What is the difference between ‘metaphorical’ and ‘literal’? What is ‘metaphorical thinking’?

Life is a beach

Love is a battlefield

Laughter is the best medicine

The literal meaning of ‘life is a beach’ is that a life actually is a beach, which is a physical impossibility, so if someone uses the metaphor they intend to compare ‘life’ with the associations and connotations of the word beach, for example, that it is relaxing and enjoyable. A literal interpretation of language means that only the denotation of the word – its exact definition – are understood. Literal uses are normally contrasted with figurative  uses, which tend towards connotations, associations, and metaphors. Fictional characters like Drax the Destroyer from Guardians of the Galaxy, or Data from Star Trek are portrayed as having difficulty understanding figurative uses and take everything literally, presumably because they are not human. Using and understanding metaphors, figurative uses, and connotative meanings is deeply human, which means that we wouldn’t expect aliens or animals to do it.

One of the most famous metaphors in the world that you might have heard is “All the world’s a stage” which was created by Shakespeare in his famous comedy “As You Like It” ( 1998 ). In this metaphor, Shakespeare connects two different things together: ‘the world’ and ‘a stage’. He does not imply that the world is literally a stage where actual theatrical performances take place. Rather he implies that some qualities of the stage, like people acting or performing for an audience, can be transferred as a frame or a lens to help us better understand the world. Going through life and all its motions – birth, marriage, parenthood, heartbreak and death etc. are akin to different performances that we give for other humans, our audiences. Thus they have an unreal, or transitory quality to them and shouldn’t, perhaps, be taken too seriously. Through this transference of “stage” onto the “world”, Shakespeare enables us to see the world and our place in it in a new light.

Another common example equates humans with animals, for example “he is a pig” and “she is a fox”; in both examples, the common meaning of the terms pig and fox are modified in the act of predication (the act of linking the terms to the subjects he and she). When the metaphor “he is a pig” is used to describe one’s roommate, this does not imply that the roommate has four legs, a curly tail, and a snout nose; instead, it means that the roommate exhibits certain behaviors that can be associated with the animal labeled with the term pig. (Jasinski 2001, p.257).

• A metaphor is a rhetorical device that enables us to connect two disparate words, concepts or things together such that some sort of transference of qualities or activity takes place from one to the other. The most basic forms of metaphor equate a newer, more abstract idea with something more familiar and concrete, so that the abstract idea can be conceptualized more easily.

Activity 1. Metaphor Basics

B. Animals are considered symbolic in nearly every culture on the planet. In some cultures, if you see a particular animal at some moment, it has a meaningful connection to something that is troubling you. Read about animal symbolism here: https://skullbliss.com/blogs/news/animal-symbolism

What human qualities are ascribed to animals? Think of 5 adjectives that are invariably associated with 5 different animals and used metaphorically to describe humans.

2 What are metaphors, grammatically speaking?

Metaphors can be expressed in many different ways, but perhaps the most prototypical form is:

NOUN – linking verb – NOUN

where the first noun is the subject and the noun following the linking verb is called the subject complement . In use, the subject noun is the known concept, and the complement is the new concept. The linking verb bridges the two concepts, and can be thought of as an equal sign.

• That puppy is a little piglet, he eats so much. (puppy = piglet)
• I am an open book . (I = book)
• The school has become a prison . (school = prison)

A linking verb is a verb like ‘is’ (a form of BE), ‘appears’, ‘becomes’, ‘sounds (like)’, or ‘looks (like)’. It contrasts with a transitive verb  because the word that follows the linking verb describes the subject, rather than functioning as the object, that is, the thing that receives the action of the verb. In ‘I read a book’ or ‘The school replaced a prison’, ‘book’ and ‘prison’ are objects, not subject complements, because the verbs ‘read’ and ‘replace’ are transitive.

Other parts of speech like adjectives can be used in metaphors as well, for example as attributive adjective

ADJ – NOUN

before a noun or with comparative phrases like

as – ADJ – as or ADJ – er than a NOUN

for example:

• The US is thought of as a melting pot . (US = melting pot)
• She’s as brave as a lion . (She = brave lion)
• The walk-in freezer is c older than a Chicago January . (freezer cold > Chicago January cold)

Metaphors do not need to be expressed with subject complements, however, it is simply a prototypical form. Verbs can be used in metaphors too, along with other parts of speech, in many different ways, e.g.:

• We were drowning in debt . 
• I ran out of time …

2. Key points

• Metaphors can be expressed in many different ways, but perhaps the most basic form is: NOUN – linking verb – NOUN, where the first noun is the subject and the noun following the linking verb is called the subject complement.
• Other parts of speech like adjectives can be used in metaphors as well, for example as attributive adjectives (‘ADJ – NOUN’)  before a noun or with comparative phrases like ‘as – ADJ – as’ or ‘ADJ-er than a’.
• Verbs can be used in metaphors too, along with other parts of speech, in different ways.

Activity 2. Grammar of metaphors

3: Metaphors as a way to think

Because of the way most of us are introduced to metaphors in school, we may think that they are simply garnishes or superficial beautification devices that help make our writing pretty. This is called the ornamental view of metaphors . Think of how many times in your own English classes that your teachers asked you to identify metaphors that a poet uses and reflect on why they have used them. Literary analysts can look at something an author has written and interpret it to mean something that the author may not have even realized or intended; writing and stories can reflect deeper truths about an author, the topics of their stories, and their historical contexts. We may therefore think that only literature students and creative writers need to pay attention to metaphors. In truth, however, metaphors are fundamental to how we think, communicate, teach, and relate to one another.

3.1 Conceptual Metaphor Theory

A lot of contemporary psychologists and neuroscientists argue that metaphors are not just ornamental devices but actually central to the very way in which our brains process information. One theory on this notion is conceptual metaphor theory , pioneered by cognitive linguists George Lakoff and Mark Johnson (2003).

If you have time and interest, watch this video to learn more: Metaphors we live by Lakoff and Johnson

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYcQcwUfo8c&t=391s

Lakoff and Johnson assert that “human thought processes are largely metaphorical. … The human conceptual system is metaphorically structured and defined” (Lakoff and Johnson 2003:6). Essentially what they mean is that metaphors relate two objects or concepts that may not be naturally associated. By doing this, they condition us to perceive and experience one thing in terms of another. As Jasinski (2001) puts it, “The force (of a) metaphor arises from its ability to help us Iook at something in a new way” (242).  One of the most famous examples discussed by Lakoff and Johnson, which you saw in the video, is ARGUMENT IS WAR (note that the theory states metaphors using capital letters). When we use language, the many connotations and associations of this metaphor serve to invoke it and reinforce it as a way of conceptualizing the domains.

Conceptual Domain A (ARGUMENT) → Conceptual Domain B (WAR) 

• Your claims are indefensible .
• He attacked every weak point in my argument.
• His criticisms were right on target . I demolished his argument.
• I’ve never won an argument with him.
• You disagree? Okay, shoot !
• If you use that strategy, he’ll wipe you out .
• He shot down all of my arguments.

(Lakoff and Johnson, 2003, p.5)

In the above example, the overarching conceptual metaphor that connects these two concepts ( ARGUMENT, WAR ) enables the transference of a wide range of adjective s (indefensible, weak point), verbs (attacked, demolished, won, shoot, wipe you out), as well as other nouns (target), fr om conceptual domain B (WAR) to another domain A (ARGUMENT). This makes us perceive domain A (ARGUMENT) in terms of domain B (WAR) and we start to believe that argument actually is war. Think about it. It’s not objective or natural to think that arguments necessarily need to be combative and aggressive, but many cultures today unfortunately conceptualize them as such because of this underlying metaphor that has conditioned all of us.

What if we lived in a culture that thought of arguments as not war but something else? Lakoff and Johnson (2003) challenge us to:

“​​Imagine a culture where an argument is viewed as a dance, the participants are seen as performers, and the goal is to perform in a balanced and aesthetically pleasing way. In such a culture, people would view arguments differently, experience them differently, carry them out differently, and talk about them differently. But we would probably not view them as arguing at all: they would simply be doing something different. It would seem strange even to call what they were doing “arguing.” Perhaps the most neutral way of describing this difference between their culture and ours would be to say that we had a discourse form structured in terms of battle and they had one structured in terms of dance” (p.5).

Metaphors even affect our thinking at a deep neurological level. In a study by Lacey et al. (2012 ), neuroscientists found the use of metaphors activates brain areas that are different from when the same meaning is conveyed in a non-metaphorical way. When participants were presented with two sentences “he had a rough day” versus “he had a bad day”, the first sentence, which has a physical, textural metaphor of “roughness”, activated the part of their brains which is associated with texture! The second sentence which does not carry any physical or textural metaphors did not cause any such activations. Through this they concluded that using metaphorical language can actually impact people at the neurological level.

3. Key points

• Contemporary psychologists and neuroscientists argue that metaphors are not just ornamental devices but actually central to the very way in which our brains process information.
• In conceptual metaphor theory, metaphors relate two objects or concepts that may not be naturally associated. By doing this, they condition us to perceive and experience one thing in terms of another.

Activity 3. Dancing arguments and valuable time

B. Imagine that we conceptualized argument as dance and said things like: 

• His words synchronized perfectly with his partner.
• Their argument dazzled everyone and filled the audience with joy.
• The rhythm of their argument brought everyone together.

What are some other things people might say having to do with arguments if it were conceptualized as dance?

C. Think about the conceptual metaphor TIME IS MONEY, expressed in sentences like “You are wasting my time” and “I don’t have enough time to spare”.

• What other things do people say that reflect this metaphor?
• How do you think TIME IS MONEY shapes people’s perceptions and behavior?

What might be some different metaphors for time or money that would change our understanding of them?

D. Think of another metaphor you see around you. It could be on social media or in the newspaper, or just in the ways in which people speak around you. Think about how it shapes your perception or behavior. What is it? How is it expressed in language use and people’s behavior?

4: Types of metaphors and their origins

As must be clear to you by now, metaphors are created by joining two words that don’t really go along with each other in conventional language. Think of “rose” and “love”. There is no natural, intuitive connection between a botanical entity – a flower called Rose or Rosa Polyantha and a human emotion and social phenomenon – love. However, through repeated use of the metaphor ROSES ARE LOVE in literature, art, and language use we have come to consider them as deeply connected. We can classify such connections based on different parameters – size, depth, and originality.

A metaphor can be used at a very small scale , where it is applied only in the immediate context of use. Think of a sentence like “The protagonist felt blue”, reflecting the metaphor SADNESS IS BLUE. The impact of this metaphor would be restricted just to a fleeting event in a larger narrative, and metaphorical meaning is encapsulated in just the word ‘blue’ (although it may reflect a deeper metaphor that EMOTIONS ARE COLORS, which the 2015 film ‘Inside Out’ played on). However, metaphors can also be used at a very large scale and impact a whole culture’s understanding of a phenomenon. Think of the phrase ‘holy war’, which has been used by various religious warmongers across the world (Christian crusades, Islamic jihad etc.) to justify their violent acts as acceptable. This may originate in logical entailments of metaphors like GOD IS ONE and GOD IS HOLY, that other gods must therefore be profane and their worshippers should be destroyed.  Some large scale, deep metaphors have become so ingrained into our cultures that we can barely perceive them as metaphors at all. For example, “This is a hard concept to grasp” reflects the metaphor that IDEAS ARE SUBSTANCES; we often compare intellectual concepts to physical texture and think of them as “hard” or “soft”. This has been used so extensively over the ages that it becomes difficult for us to realize that it is in fact a metaphor and that at some point long ago it may not have been seen as ‘natural’ at all.

Some metaphors are very explicit about the two words or things they connect and can be spotted on the surface of a sentence, for example, in “America won the space race with the Soviet Union”. Here it is clear that the word ‘space’ is being metaphorically connected to the word ‘race’ and both are present in the sentence itself. However, in some cases the metaphors are deep , hidden under the surface of a sentence and not obvious. Often this happens subconsciously. In the famous Biblical phrase: “The Lord is my shepherd”, it seems that “Lord” is being metaphorically connected to the word “shepherd”, but there is also a more hidden or implied metaphor that the person represented by the word “my”, which is a stand-in for all humans, is a sheep. Thus, more explicitly the metaphor is HUMANS ARE SHEEP, and so they are innocent, vulnerable, and child-like, and thus need protection.

As another example, the metaphor hidden under “my partner and I decided to go our separate ways” is difficult to tease out. If we consider the figurative meaning we recognize that what is being spoken about is a breakup, and that a breakup is like going two separate ways. This surface metaphor is enabled by two deeper metaphors that LIFE IS A JOURNEY and LOVE IS A JOURNEY. Another surface form reflecting these same underlying metaphors might be “I can’t wait to go down this path with you”; however, we’d have to be careful to whom and how we say it, since it can be interpreted as reflecting either or both metaphors at the same time. When using a metaphor to tell a story or make an argument, mixing them can be confusing because of conflicting associations. The metaphor love is a journey implies that it has an ending, which conflicts with the metaphor LOVE IS ENDLESS.

Metaphors originate from people trying to explain new things and experiences that their audiences may not understand if they were explained in literal terms; some metaphors are very original  while others are conventional. Much of the language we use–some linguists say all—has metaphorical origins. The computer mouse, for example, was named a ‘mouse’ because it looked like one, but now many have evolved to look nothing like mice, and a ‘mousepad’ or ‘to mouse over’ would be difficult to comprehend for someone who knew what mice were but not computers. Artists, writers, and thinkers continually generate new metaphors, drawing two or more seemingly unrelated ideas together and challenging us to imagine new ways of seeing and being in the world by connecting them. Perhaps this is why British poet P.B. Shelley said that “poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world,” because they continuously replenish language with new metaphors, and metaphorically speaking, maybe METAPHORS ARE LAWS that guide our thoughts.

• If you have the time and interest, read or listen to this podcast about ‘Words That Began as Metaphors’, including the word ‘metaphor’ itself! https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-matters-podcast/episode-73-began-as-metaphors
• If you want to learn how to create metaphors, read this: https://aeon.co/essays/how-to-build-a-metaphor-to-change-people-s-minds

4. Key points

• Metaphors can be of many types and can be classified based on different parameters – scale, depth, and originality.
• In terms of scale, a metaphor can be used either at a very small scale, where it is applied only in the immediate context of use or it can be used at a very large scale, where it can impact a whole culture’s understanding of a phenomenon.
• In terms of depth, a metaphor can be explicitly visible at the surface of the words used to express it or it can be hidden beneath many layers of implied meaning.
• In terms of originality, a metaphor can be conventional, i.e. something that is very common in a language or culture, or it can be innovative, i.e. something that has rarely been used by anyone.

Activity 4. Said another way

C. How are common colors, seasons/weather, animals, and emotions used metaphorically? Find a song lyric, a poem, or a work of art that reflects a metaphor.

5: Metaphors in advertising and politics

Many metaphors are so deeply ingrained in our cultures and ways of thinking that it is difficult to know when one is simply being used because it is widely understood, or if it is being used for propaganda purposes, that is, with the ulterior motive of influencing opinions, behaviors, or worldviews. The fields of advertising and marketing are well-known for their use of certain ‘subliminal’ or ‘subconscious’ techniques to influence consumers’ buying habits; since the end of the 19th century, their basic modus operandi has been to create and reinforce metaphors associating their product with basic desires and insecurities towards beauty, cleanliness, safety, health, and success. Watch Edward Bernays’ Torches of Freedom to learn how cigarettes were marketed successfully to women in the early 20th century by associating them with power:

5A: How cigarettes became a symbol of power in films, a video essay by Sana Saeed for her series Pop Americana pubslihed in AJ+ on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDS11IZP4PE

If you have the time and interest, read how the flavor of mint was associated with freshness – an association that is in no way natural.

• https://www.vox.com/2014/12/1/7309499/mint-fresh-breath

Jasinski (2001) gives a really hard-hitting (notice how this is a metaphor too!) example of how metaphors have been used to create propaganda  in the real world, propaganda being understood as biased information that promotes a particular perspective. In 1999, Ron Hampton, the executive director of the National Black Police Association asked the US American public to reflect on how certain political sloganeering may be impacting the high rate of police brutality in the US:

“This militarization of police work started a long time ago. It began with the use of terms like “war on crime” and “war on drugs.” … When police officers are inundated with this kind of military training and language, they go out thinking they’re soldiers, that they are the Iine between civilization and anarchy. Pretty soon, you’re bringing your war to traffic stops and minor arrests” (qtd. In Jasinski 2001, p. 259).

While police brutality is of course a complicated issue with many reasons, could the language use that surrounds police culture be contributing to it? What would happen if fighting crime, illegal drug trade, and drug use were conceptualized using other metaphors than ‘war’?

In a study by Stanford psychologists Lera Boroditsky and Paul Thibodeau, several participants were given paragraphs describing the rising crime rates in a fictional city. While some of the participants were given paragraphs that used the metaphor of CRIME IS A BEAST that preys on the community, others were given paragraphs that described CRIME IS A VIRUS that plagues the community. Then participants were asked which of two ways of dealing with crime they would support for this city: greater policing and cracking down on criminals, or greater social reform. How do you think the choice of metaphors might have impacted the participants’ decisions? ( Boroditsky & Thibodeau qtd. in Gorlick, 2011 )

If you have the time and interest, read the details of this study to find out what actually happened:

• https://news.stanford.edu/news/2011/february/metaphors-crime-study-022311.html

Metaphors are especially powerful when they generate implications that are coherent with a particular ideology , that is, a system of ideas and ideals about the world. When taken together, these systems of metaphors can be triggered by cognitive framing , the use of a familiar perspective or narrative to make sense of and evaluate new information. Politicians and their media arms are often very good at ‘spinning’ their words and actions into messaging coherent with their ideology through the use of cognitive framing that evoke metaphors. For example, in September 2022 in the US, conservative Florida Governor Ron Desantis had Venezuelan refugees flown to a New England island known for its vacation homes of his liberal political opponents. His actions are coherent with the metaphor IMMIGRATION IS A FLOOD, where immigrants and refugees are unwanted, threatening, and overwhelming. However, liberals in cities like Boston and New York historically populated by immigrants may understand that IMMIGRANTS ARE ORPHANED CHILDREN, reflected in Emma Lazarus’ famous poem about the Statue of Liberty , and they responded by helping the refugees. These sorts of actions (or ‘political stunts’ some might say) evoke competing metaphors and confirm the beliefs and biases of those who share the same ideologies and cognitive frames. Interestingly, the metaphors evoked by Desantis and the New Englanders fit very well with linguist George Lakoff’s cognitive framing theory about US politics, which he sums in his book ‘Don’t Think of an Elephant’. He argues that if a deep metaphor for the US A is THE NATION IS A FAMILY, then Republicans tend to see GOVERNMENT IS A STRICT FATHER, while Democrats see GOVERNMENT IS A NURTURING CARETAKER. Note that this means the Republican frame portrays Democrats as permissive mothers, while the Democrat frame presents Republicans as uncaring, negligent, and absent. Do these frames resonate with your understanding of how the two US political parties portray one another?

If you have time and interest, read more about Lakoff’s theory here:

• https://commonslibrary.org/frame-the-debate-insights-from-dont-think-of-an-elephant/

5. Key points

• Domains like advertising and politics often use hidden metaphors with an ulterior motive of influencing opinions, behaviors, or worldviews.
• Metaphors are especially powerful when they generate implications that are coherent with a particular ideology. When taken together, these systems of metaphors can be triggered by cognitive framing, the use of a familiar perspective or narrative to make sense of and evaluate new information. Politicians and their media arms are often very good at ‘spinning’ their words and actions into messaging coherent with their ideology through the use of cognitive framing.

Activity 5. Metaphors in advertising and politics

B. Think of an advertising slogan or campaign for a product that attempts to associate it with a word or an idea that is not necessarily natural (e.g. ‘You’re in good hands with Allstate’); sometimes it is even reflected in the name of the product (e.g. Dodge Ram trucks). What is the metaphor (or metaphors) behind it? (in the example cases it would be insurance = safety, or trucks = aggression)

C. What is a current social issue you feel strongly about, and how is it conceptualized by news media and politicians metaphorically? For example, is college education a privilege or a necessity? Is it a requirement to be checked off, or an enlightening journey to be taken? What do you hear about college that supports these metaphors?

If you have time and interest, here are some additional readings that might interest you:

• Erard’s “How to build a metaphor to change someone’s mind” (2015)
• Cobb’s “Why your brain is not a computer” (2020)

6. Discussion/reflection activity

Reflect on the content of this module by answering some or all of the following questions. Provide examples to support your points.

• What is a metaphor and why can it be misleading or deceptive?
• How do metaphors shape how we think? 
• What grammatical devices go into making metaphors?
• What are some advertising campaigns that have influenced you to buy something by using metaphors? 
• Can you think of a politician who has used metaphors to make the public around you do or believe something? What specifically have they said?

⇒ If you are familiar with corpus analysis, try this module’s activity: Exploring Metaphors in US immigration discourse

7. Key Points on Metaphor

1 What is a metaphor

2 What is a metaphor, grammatically speaking? 

3 Metaphor as a way to think 

4 Types of metaphors and their origins

• Metaphors can be of many types and can be classified based on different parameters – size, depth, and originality.

5 Metaphors in advertising and politics 

8. Key Concepts on Metaphors

• attributive adjective
• cognitive framing
• competing metaphors
• conceptual metaphor theory
• connotation
• depth of metaphor
• figurative meaning
• linking verb
• literal meaning
• originality of metaphor
• ornamental view of metaphors
• scale of metaphor
• subject complement
• transitive verb

Know this vocabulary? Test your knowledge in this crossword puzzle .

⇒ bibliography

Last updated: 5 November 2022

This independent module is from Critical Language Awareness: Language Power Techniques and English Grammar , an open educational resource offered by the Clarify Initiative , a privately funded project with the goal of raising critical language awareness and media literacy among students of language and throughout society.

a rhetorical device that enables us to connect two disparate words, concepts or things together such that some sort of transference of qualities or activity takes place from one to the other

the most obvious, concrete, or actual sense of a word

an association or suggestion of a word or idea

the literal or actual meaning of a word

the symbolic or metaphorical sense of a word, as opposed to its literal or denotative sense

a word that is a person, place, thing, or concept;  grammatically speaking, the part of speech comprised of these words

Linguistically speaking, a subject is the actor, doer, or primary noun or pronoun of a clause. In English it comes first.

a word or phrase that comes after a linking verb (e.g. 'is') that describes, or is equatable, to the subject

a verb like 'be', 'become', 'seem', 'appear', 'smell', 'taste', etc. that is followed by a subject complement

a verb that requires or takes an object, like most uses of 'eat', 'speak', or 'see'

an adjective that comes directly before the noun that it modifies, as opposed to a predicative adjective, which comes after a linking verb

a words that describe an action, state, or occurrence; grammatically speaking, the part of speech comprised of these words

the view that metaphors are extra, superfluous, or not fundamental

the theory that metaphors are fundamental to how humans conceptualize the world and their existence in it

the size of what a metaphor refers to -- from a single situation (small) to a larger, broader phenomenon (large)

refers to whether a metaphor is obviously stated (shallow) or if it points to a deeper understanding (deep)

refers to whether a metaphor is newly invented by a user or is conventionally understood

Information that deliberately promotes a particular perspective, regardless of its veracity.

a word that describes (or 'modifies') a noun; grammatically speaking, the part of speech that includes these words

the use of a familiar perspective or narrative to make sense of and evaluate new information

conceptual metaphors used by opposing sides of an issue or argument that may produce cognitive dissonance when juxtaposed

a system of ideas and ideals about how the world is and how it should be, e.g. liberalism, conservatism, socialism, capitalism, colonialism, etc.

Metaphor: A Language Power Technique Copyright © 2023 by Anuj Gupta, Jonathon Reinhardt, Robert Poole is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write a Metaphor

Last Updated: March 19, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 727,387 times.

Metaphors are the cold knife in your side, the speed bumps that keep you from picking up writing momentum, the hidden monster lurking in the closet of ... of ... oh, darn it. Metaphors are tough -- no doubt about it -- but if you follow these instructions, they can become the spice in the cuisine that is your written work!

Quick Steps

• Define your topic or object, then brainstorm other things with similar qualities.
• Decide what tone you’d like to set to weed out ideas that don’t fit the mood.
• Write a few sentences comparing the topic to your brainstormed associations.
• Read your sentences aloud and revise them to further refine your comparison.
• Condense your idea into one original, metaphorical sentence.

Understanding Metaphors

• The last line of The Great Gatsby contains a very famous metaphor: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
• The poet Khalil Gibran used many metaphors in his poetry, including this one: “All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind.” [2] X Research source
• William Gibson’s cyberpunk novel Neuromancer opens with the line: “The sky above the port was the color of television, turned to a dead channel.”
• Sylvia Plath’s poem “Cut” uses metaphor to convey a painful experience in a curious tone: What a thrill— My thumb instead of an onion. The top quite gone Except for a sort of hinge Of skin.... A celebration this is. Out of a gap A million soldiers run, Redcoats every one. [3] X Research source

• A simile has two parts: the “tenor” (the thing being described) and the “vehicle” (the thing/s used to describe it). In the simile “the brownie was so overcooked that it tasted like charcoal,” the brownie is the tenor and the charcoal is the vehicle. Unlike metaphors, similes use “as” or “like” to signal their comparisons, and thus they’re usually considered a little weaker in effect.
• A metonymy substitutes the name of one thing for the idea of another that is closely related to it. For example, in many countries the system of royal power invested in a monarch is simply called “the crown,” and in the United States the presidential administration and its authority are often just called “the White House.”
• A synecdoche refers to a larger concept by using a part of that concept, as in the use of the phrase “hired hands” for “laborers” or referring to one’s car as “my wheels.”

• Sustained , or extended/telescoping metaphors span across several phrases or sentences. Their accumulative nature makes them very forceful and vivid. The narrator of Dean Koontz’s novel Seize the Night uses a sustained metaphor to describe his wild imagination: “Bobby Halloway says my imagination is a three-hundred-ring circus. Currently, I was in ring two hundred and ninety-nine, with elephants dancing and clowns cartwheeling and tigers leaping through rings of fire. The time had come to step back, leave the main tent, go buy some popcorn and a Coke, bliss out, cool down.” [6] X Research source
• Implied metaphors are more subtle than simple metaphors. Whereas a simple metaphor might say that a person seems mean, but is really “a cupcake,” an implied metaphor would attribute cupcake-like characteristics to the person: “He can seem mean until you get to know him, and then you find out he’s all gooey and fluffy inside.”
• Dead metaphors are metaphors that have become so common in everyday speech that they’ve lost the power they once had because they’re too familiar to us: “raining cats and dogs,” “heart of stone,” “tie up loose ends,” “red tape.” Clichés, on the other hand, are phrases often used to convey significant meanings. In the case of “red tape,” legal documents used to be bundled with red tape (or ribbon) before being sent away to various offices, so a process getting caught up in “red tape” referred to a document that was still waiting to be examined.

• Catachresis is the formal term for mixed metaphors, and some writers use them intentionally to create confusion, impart a sense of the absurd, or express a powerful or inexpressible emotion. The poem somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond by e.e. cummings uses catachresis to express how it’s impossible to put his love for his beloved into words that make sense: “The voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses -- / nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands….” [9] X Research source
• Catachresis can also be used to demonstrate a character’s confused or contradictory state of mind, as in the famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet : Hamlet wonders “Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them?” Obviously, you can’t really take up arms to fight against a sea, but the mixed-up metaphor helps communicate how troubled Hamlet feels.

• Metaphors can communicate emotion behind actions. For example, the phrase “Julio’s eyes blazed” is more vivid and intense than “Julio’s eyes looked angry.”
• Metaphors can convey immense, complex ideas in a few words. In one version of his long poem Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman tells his readers that they are actually the greatest poetry: “your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face.” [10] X Research source
• Metaphors can encourage originality. It’s easy to rely on everyday language to convey ideas: a body is a body, an ocean is an ocean. But metaphors allow you to convey a simple idea with creativity and expressiveness, something that the ancient Germanic people known as Anglo-Saxons were very fond of: “body” becomes “bone-house” and “ocean” becomes “whale-road”.
• Metaphors show off your genius. Or at least, Aristotle says so (and who are we to argue?) in his Poetics : “But the greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor. It is the one thing that cannot be learnt from others; and it is also a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars.”

• If you don’t mind difficult reading, very few writers in English used metaphor as well as the 16th-century poet John Donne: poems like “The Flea” and his Holy Sonnets employ intricate metaphors to describe experiences like love, religious faith, and death. [11] X Research source
• The speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr., are also famous for their skillful use of metaphor and other rhetorical devices. King’s “I have a dream” speech uses metaphor extensively, such as the idea of Black Americans living on “a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.” [12] X Research source

Writing Your Own Metaphors

• For example, if you want to write a metaphor about "time," try writing down as many characteristics as possible: slow, fast, dark, space, relativity, heavy, elastic, progress, change, man-made, evolution, time-out, timer, race, run.
• Don't self-edit too heavily in this step; your goal is to generate a bunch of information for yourself to use. You can always scrap ideas that don't work later.

• Avoid clichés. As Salvador Dalí said, “The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot.” [15] X Research source The goal of metaphors should be to convey your meaning with impact and originality in a compact package: the single intense bite of sea-salted caramel chocolate gelato vs. a whole bowl of bland vanilla froyo.
• This is a brainstorming activity, so let your imagination run wild! For the "time" example, free-associations could be ideas like: rubber band, space, 2001, abyss, enemy, ticking clock, weight, wait, loss, adaptation, changes, stretching, returning.

• For the "time" example, let's go with "celestial/spiritual" for the mood. Eliminate ideas that don't fit with that mood as you develop your ideas: for the "time" example, you might scratch out enemy, 2001, weight, and ticking clock, as these are all fairly "earthly" ideas.
• Try to keep the nuances of your chosen topic in mind. For example, if you’re comparing the concept of justice to an animal, a “prowling leopard” conveys a very different idea of what you mean by “justice” than an image like a “weary elephant.” Both of these are probably still more apt than using a “newborn kitten,” though.

• For the "time" example, this step could generate a sentence like the following: "Time is the rubber band, shooting me out into the unknown then bringing me back to center." This sentence has taken one of the ideas from Step 2 and has started attributing concrete actions and characteristics to it -- the starting-place of a metaphor.

• In the example sentence generated in Step 4, the basic idea is there, but the words don't have much power behind them. For example, there's very little alliteration, which might be useful to employ if you want to convey a sense of repetition. The idea of the "rubber band" also suggests something or someone firing the rubber band, which detracts from the metaphor's focus on Time performing the action.

• For example, adding in alliteration and providing an action for Time that is more independent could result in a sentence like this: "Time is an endless rollercoaster ride; it stops for no one." Now, the focus is entirely on time, and the alliteration of the repeated r sound adds to the sense of repetition that the metaphor's getting at.

• Using metaphors as verbs can give actions more punch (sometimes literally!): “The news clutched her throat in its iron fist” expresses a more intense feeling than “She felt like she couldn’t breathe.”
• Using metaphors as adjectives and adverbs can vividly characterize objects, people, and concepts in just a few words: “The teacher’s carnivorous pen devoured the student essays and belched up the occasional bloodstained comment” conveys the idea that the teacher’s pen (itself a metonym for the teacher) is tearing these essays apart and eating them, leaving only a mess of blood and guts once it’s finished.
• Using metaphors as prepositional phrases can describe the feel of actions as well the thoughts behind them: “Emily examined her sister’s outfit with a surgeon’s eye” suggests that Emily believes she’s a trained expert in fashion, that she has a meticulous eye for detail, and that she sees her sister’s outfit as a potential disease to be cut off if necessary (perhaps not something that makes her sister happy).
• Using metaphors as appositives (nouns or noun phrases that rename a nearby noun) or modifiers can add literary polish and creativity to your work: “Homer Simpson sidled onward, a yellow-domed pear wearing pants.”

Sample Metaphors

Community Q&A

• personification : association of a non-human (usually inanimate) object with a human characteristic. This is a way of giving depth to a description by bringing in all the lyrical baggage of a term we normally associate with a person. "The intrepid spelunkers entered the mountain's open maw." As you can see, the human characteristic need not be uniquely human, but it often is. "The old familiar chair welcomed her back, as if she had never gone."
• analogy : comparison of two pairs of things, a:b::c:d (e.g. hot is to cold as fire is to ice). Analogy can be used to make a satirical point, as in "My brother says he's trustworthy, but given his track record, my brother is trustworthy like Machiavelli was humanitarian." While not linear, Spenser's 16th century analogy is subtly sublime, "My love is like to ice and I to fire ..."
• allegory : an extended story in which people, things or ideas represent other things, giving the story two meanings, one literal and one symbolic. In an allegory, nearly every figure and object has a meaning. Just think of Animal Farm, an allegory about the Soviet Union wherein farm animals revolt against their masters, form their own egalitarian society, and gradually recreate the very hierarchy that they fought to escape from.
• parable : a story that demonstrates the teller's point or lesson. Famous examples include Aesop's Fables (ex. a mighty lion spares a puny mouse who later frees the lion from a hunter's trap – i.e. even the weak have their strengths).
• Writing is a skill. The more you practice it, the better you get. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Remember that stuff called "grammar"? Well, turns out it has a purpose. Be sure you write correctly so your audience clearly understands you. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphor
• ↑ https://www.macmillandictionaryblog.com/famous-metaphors
• ↑ https://www.internal.org/Sylvia_Plath/Cut
• ↑ https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/classroom/terms.htm
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/types-of-metaphors.html
• ↑ https://literarydevices.net/extended-metaphor/
• ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/mixed-metaphor
• ↑ https://literarydevices.net/catachresis/
• ↑ https://www.whitmanarchive.org/published/LG/1855/whole.html
• ↑ https://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/john-donne#about
• ↑ https://users.wfu.edu/zulick/341/king.html
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/metaphor/
• ↑ https://www.powerpoetry.org/actions/7-tips-creating-poignant-poetic-metaphors
• ↑ https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dialogues_With_Marcel_Duchamp/yPDKXnzgGGcC?hl=en&gbpv=1

About This Article

To write a metaphor, think about what you're trying to describe and the tone you want to create. Next, spend a few minutes brainstorming and write down whatever imaginative descriptions and associations come to mind. Then, write a few sentences comparing your original topic to some of your brainstormed descriptions. Focus on the ideas and imagery that stand out to you, then transform your comparisons into metaphors. Play around with the language and see where your creativity leads you! For tips on understanding what metaphors can and can't do, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Develop a Personalized Metaphor for Your Applications

←How to Use Rhetorical Devices in Your College Essay

How to Get the Perfect Hook for Your College Essay→

Developing a Theme for Your Application

When you’re applying to competitive colleges, you need something that sets you apart from other applicants. This might be a special skill, an interesting characteristic, a unique experience, or even a circumstance beyond your control. One way to express this is through a personal metaphor in your essay. If you can come up with a defining metaphor that manifests throughout your application, you’ll be able to express your character more clearly and give colleges a better sense of who you are. This can tie your personal qualities and accomplishments together in a way that is more likely to resonate with admissions committees. Read on to learn how you can come up with a personalized metaphor for your essays that will set you apart.

How Can You Use a Metaphor in Your Essays

A metaphor is a comparison between two unlike things, tying something—an experience, a person, a thing, a place—to something else. At first glance, the comparison might seem unrelated but when the two ideas are juxtaposed, a new meaning emerges. Unlike a simile, your description doesn’t use “like” or “as,” so the comparison is more implicit. You might also use an analogy, which is similar to a metaphor in some respects. An analogy is another type of comparison, but instead of demonstrating how two things are completely similar, it highlights how two particular characteristics of those things are comparable, and often does use “like” or “as”. “I’m as tired as the day is long” is an example of an analogy, because rather than totally comparing oneself to the day, the speaker is focusing on one particular characteristic in each thing being compared—being tired and the length of the day.

In a metaphor, the comparison becomes a symbol to represent a larger experience or circumstance. Metaphors are commonly used as literary devices. For instance, Shakespeare wrote in As You Like It : “All the world’s a stage / And all the men and women merely players.” This is a quintessential example of a double metaphor, in which the stage represents the world, and players represent all the people—the implicit idea being that life is really a performance.

A metaphor can be a strong device to use in your college essays, but you’ll need to keep a few important considerations in mind. You’ll need to choose something unique to stand out, and describe it well. Use imagery and other rhetorical devices to frame your metaphor. Be descriptive. Also remember that admissions committees read many, many essays. While your experience doesn’t have to be completely unique, the way you describe it does. And you certainly don’t want to write an essay with overused clichés. Colleges have seen hundreds of essays describe how winning a sports game is like conquering life obstacles. Don’t be that person!

Consistency and cohesiveness are also important here. Choose something and stick to it. Don’t try to pack too much into a single thought, because then the metaphor might become too much of a leap. “I’m like bird, because I’m quick on my feet, adventurous, and like to sing” has too many elements. Try to focus on a particular thing—such as an adventurous spirit—and draw it out with examples, anecdotes, and imagery.

Thinking About our Pre-College Experiences Through the Lens of a Metaphor

You don’t have to climb Mount Everest to develop a meaningful metaphor. Colleges care more about how you describe and frame your experiences than the experiences themselves. However, you’re probably not going to find much inspiration from the Sunday you spent watching TV on the couch, so you should make an effort to seek out experiences that inspire you. To start, try pursuing something off the beaten path that interests you over the summer. For example, you might volunteer in another country, take on a unique internship, or gain experience in a profession you plan on pursuing. You might, then, use an aspect of the experience—say, animals you encountered in the wilderness—to highlight the new experiences and adventures you seek out in life: “Seeing a lion on a safari in Africa made me nervous at first, but I soon realized the fear came more from the unknown than the threat the lion posed to me.”

Or, on the flip side of this example, if you’ve had a particular struggle, is there a way to paint a metaphorical picture about it?

Making Your College Application Cohesive

Don’t stretch to hard to fit everything into the metaphor you choose, and don’t try to pack too much into it. You don’t want to make admissions committees have to work to understand what you’re trying to convey. For example, “Working with my teammates to defeat the rival school in football taught me collaboration conquers all” is a bit of a reach, not to mention cliché.

To help you come up with something that defines you and your experiences, make a list of your best qualities and what defines you as a student. Additionally, ask friends, family members, and teachers what they think of when they think about you. Then, make a list of extracurricular activities or other interests you’ve pursued, and try to determine the qualities from the first list each activity brings out. Select one that best exemplifies your personal experiences to write about in your essay. It’s also a good idea to think about particular experiences and anecdotes to illustrate the activity. Also think about imagery you associate with the activity. Does playing piano make you feel peaceful? What other images are associated with peace? Perhaps it transports you to a beach or some other calm setting. Is there a particular time when this feeling was exemplified during a performance or recital?

If you have a particular passion, describe why you love it and what you’ve done to hone and pursue it. Show colleges why it’s meaningful to you. Maybe you’re a writer and have participated in writing programs, contest, and clubs like the school newspaper. Is there an image that comes to mind that illustrates how you’ve made writing your focus?

If you can think of a literal object that works well with your talents and experiences, then great. You could also use a single event or activity to show who you are more generally. For example, you might use debate club to show how you feel like a small-time version of a Supreme Court judge. “One time, when I argued the merits of the public-school system, I pictured myself in a real courtroom, presiding over a trial that would determine the fate of Americans.”

Remember that consistency is key. In Well-Rounded or Specialized? , we explain how it is important to demonstrate passion for a particular specialty or area. Having that passion will help you develop your metaphor, because you will naturally have a theme to exemplify.

Final Thoughts on the Admissions Metaphor

A metaphor is an impressive way to capture the attention of the admissions committee. Remember, you want them to sit up and take notice, so you need to draw them in right away.

Also keep in mind that it’s not just about what you say, but how you say it. While having a solid academic record is important, you need to demonstrate that you are unique. That doesn’t mean you have to have had a unique experience. You might have a particularly insightful or interesting way of describing or looking at something—and that makes you unique! Plus, being able to describe the events of your life or your goals for the future through the frame of a metaphor is one way of showing that you are capable of thinking of general trends and patterns in life in a creative way.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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How to Use Metaphors Successfully in a Personal Statement

Written by David Lombardino   |  Updated February 23, 2024

Standing out From the Crowd

One of the greatest challenges every candidate faces when applying for fellowship or residency training, graduate school or college is deciding what to write in their personal statements. The next greatest challenge is how to write it.

Everyone wants their personal statement to stand out from the thousands of other entries. There are 40,000 applicants for medical residency alone every year, for example.

Sometimes the candidates are so concerned about how to write their personal statements— how to start , what words to use , etc.—that they lose sight of the actual content.

What Is a Metaphor?

A "metaphor" is "a word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to show or suggest that they are similar" or "an object, activity, or idea that is used as a symbol of something else." (See Merriam-Webster .)

An example would be comparing an orthopedic procedure to building a robot or working as a nurse to being a member of a field hockey team.

The Case Against Metaphors in a Personal Statement

Every year, I edit and critique hundreds of personal statements , and among those that stand out the most are the ones that use metaphors. However, the reason for this is most often not what the candidates have hoped.

A great example of this came last September from an outstanding candidate for medical residency. She had graduated from one of the top high schools in the nation, was attending one of the top medical schools in the nation, and had noteworthy research experience. As a medical student, she had even published a paper and presented a poster at a conference.

Knowing this from her CV, what I expected to find, when turning to her personal statement, was an exemplary, well-executed essay.

What I found instead was far short of the mark.

No matter what form the personal statement takes, it must convey the relevant aspects of the candidate’s path that have brought them to apply for the position being sought, it must convey how the position is the appropriate next step for their path, and it must convey where the candidate sees their path headed following the successful completion of the position.

What she had done was decide not to follow these principles and instead write an essay devoted to her experiences on her soccer team. She had not been an exemplary player, her team had not been an exemplary team, and there was nothing in particular that stood out about the experiences she described.

By contrast, they were ones anyone else on her team could have written.

While she believed focusing her personal statement on her soccer experiences would make it a shining point of her overall application, the result was the opposite.

There were two key aspects that she had failed to realize. First was that, among all the medical residents who use metaphors in their personal statements, playing on a sports team—and particularly a soccer team—is the most common (followed closely by comparing the practice of medicine to solving a puzzle).

Second is that, in light of her otherwise outstanding application, her failing to accomplish any of the fundamental goals of a personal statement ran the risk of communicating to program directors that she considered having to write a personal statement to be a task that was beneath her.

Why Do Candidates Use Metaphors in a Personal Statement?

The personal statement I have just described is a great example of why candidates use metaphors in a personal statement. They believe that by doing so their stories will be automatically more interesting to read.

From a technical point of view, though, it is difficult to craft a well-executed personal statement on the foundation of a metaphor.

When a candidate uses a metaphor, they do so out of the belief that the metaphor is unique and, by extension, that it will immediately demonstrate their creativity and ability to think at a higher level.

Because this concept is so attractive, and because candidates are often unaware of what everyone else is writing in their personal statements, they do not realize what a great challenge it is to think of a metaphor that is not already overused, let alone to incorporate a metaphor successfully so that it does not come across as simply a crutch.

Why Almost Every Personal Statement Is Better Without a Metaphor, But Also How Metaphors Can Make a Personal Statement Amazing

In a previous post, in which I detailed the reasons quotes should be avoided in a personal statement , I described that the key consideration for any personal statement is how “personal” it is and that the only way to do this is for the candidate to write about their own personal experience.

While there is a full range of personal experiences, and some are more interesting to read than others, the more specific the personal statement is to the candidate’s own personal experience, no matter the experience, the more engaging it will be to read.

Let us look at it another way by considering three types of personal statements.

The first is one that is not particularly “personal” but uses an interesting metaphor. The second is one that is particularly “personal” but does not use any metaphors. The third is one that is particularly “personal” and uses a particularly “personal” metaphor. As you might guess, the third type will certainly be the most outstanding, but the reason bears explanation.

No matter how interesting a metaphor is that is used in a personal statement, if the personal statement does not accomplish the fundamental goals of a personal statement, it will come across to the review committee or program director as being a failed opportunity by the candidate.

With that in mind, a personal statement will automatically be more successful the more directly related it is to the candidate’s personal experience, without using any metaphors. Simply doing that for most candidates will be a significant accomplishment and result in an engaging personal statement.

In rare cases, though, the candidate can enhance their personal statement with the successful use of a metaphor.

How to Decide Whether to Use a Metaphor

How then can a candidate know whether their use of a metaphor will be successful?

First, they should consider the personal statement without the metaphor. Is the personal statement “personal”? If not, the metaphor should not be included, since it will certainly not improve the essay and in most cases, by contrast, will serve to make it worse.

Second, if the personal statement is “personal,” they should ask whether the personal statement can stand on its own without the metaphor. Is the metaphor vital to the candidate’s story, such that it could not possibly be written without it?

If the answer to this last question is yes, then it is likely the metaphor will be successful, and the next step is to decide which metaphor to use.

How to Choose the Right Metaphor

If you have followed the guidelines above and believe using a metaphor is right for your personal statement, then you should already know beyond any doubt which metaphor you will use. Nevertheless, I will give you a couple of rules to follow.

First, the metaphor should come from your unique experience or personality. You should decide which of your experiences or which aspect of your personality will serve best as a metaphor.

Think of which one is most closely related to how you view your particular path.

Second, the metaphor should come from an experience or aspect of your personality that defines you particularly and therefore could not possibly be used by someone else.

Let us take as an example the personal statement I described earlier that used the metaphor of the soccer experience.

The reason that metaphor was unsuccessful was not that it was a soccer metaphor, but first that it failed to accomplish any of the key goals of a personal statement, and second that the aspects of playing soccer that were described were ones that could have been written by anyone else on the team.

To have made that metaphor successful, beyond making the personal statement more "personal," the candidate needed to choose an experience that was more “personal” and focus only on the aspects that made her experience unique.

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How to Use Metaphors in an Essay

Here you will find some tips on how to use metaphors in your essays, but you could also apply these rules while working with other types of figures of speech such as allegory, simile, and so forth. These parts of speech operate as our “assistants” in gaining knowledge about what is unknown. In this way human thinking is developing. For that reason it is very important to show good skills in using figures of speech, and metaphors in particular.

Metaphors are very closely related to similes, because they both make use of comparison and analogy. However, a metaphor does not claim that an object is “like” another, but it says that they are the same. For instance, a sentence “he fights like a lion” is a simile, but the sentence “he is a lion” is a metaphor.

Metaphors are very closely related to similes, because they both make use of comparison and analogy; i.e. a sentence “he fights like a lion” is a simile, but the sentence “he is a lion” is a metaphor. Tweet This

Let’s take a look at several rules for using metaphors in your essay (provided that you are at high-school or college level, and not a professional in writing). The same rules are valid as regards of other figures of speech.

Using metaphors in an essay – 5 key tips

1. be sure about the meaning of the metaphor.

Always be sure about the meaning of the metaphor you have used: it should express your thought very clearly, and be relevant to your topic, thesis or argument. It requires good verbal intelligence (this ability may be developed through reading hundreds of classic books).

Always be sure about the meaning of the metaphor you’ve used: it should express your thought very clearly, and be relevant to your topic, thesis or argument. Tweet This

2. Use metaphors appropriately

Use metaphors when it is necessary or when it will help you express your thoughts better. Therefore, do not simply “insert” metaphors in order to be “more attractive” for the reader, or more impressive.

3. Pay attention to different types of papers

In papers dealing with strictly scientific issues it is recommended to use metaphors very rarely, especially in natural sciences. It is so because in scientific papers you have to formulate theses and supply arguments. Hence, the usage of metaphors depends on the type of your essay, its goals and context.

4. Don't go beyond the standard usage of metaphors in daily language

That means you should have a balanced approach to them. Can you imagine a situation in which you are going to a shop to buy electronic equipment and start using metaphors while speaking with one of the employees there? Well, they probably will laugh at you, or think you are joking with them. If you use metaphors all the time while speaking with someone, you will fail to communicate your thoughts. Of course, there are some people of art that have “more special” style of expressing themselves, but let’s assume you are not one of them.

If you use metaphors all the time while speaking with someone, you’ll fail to communicate your thoughts. Tweet This

5. Express your personality

The best way to write an essay without unnecessary figures of speech is not to think about them at all. Just express your personality, and the metaphors will flow freely and in a natural way.

If you read more classic books (particularly some of the best writers of essays, such as Thomas Mann, Ralph W. Emerson or Stefan Zweig), you will know better how and when to use figures of speech. Remember: your essay is also a stage of the development of the language, so you contribute to its evolution. 

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Is love a journey? Photo by Wayne Miller/Magnum

Metaphors make the world

Woven into the fabric of language, metaphors shape how we understand reality. what happens when we try using new ones.

by Benjamin Santos Genta   + BIO

‘Language is fossil poetry. As the limestone of the continent consists of infinite masses of the shells of animalcules, so language is made up of images, or tropes, which now, in their secondary use, have long ceased to remind us of their poetic origin.’ – from the essay ‘The Poet’ (1844) by Ralph Waldo Emerson

‘Metaphors … become more literal as their novelty wanes.’ – from the book Languages of Art (1976) by Nelson Goodman

If Ralph Waldo Emerson was right that ‘language is fossil poetry’, then metaphors undoubtedly represent a significant portion of these linguistic remnants. A particularly well-preserved linguistic fossil example is found in the satirical TV show Veep : after successfully giving an interview designed to divert the public’s attention from an embarrassing diplomatic crisis, the US vice-president – portrayed by the outstanding Julia Louis-Dreyfus – comments to her staff: ‘I spewed out so much bullshit, I’m gonna need a mint.’

When used properly, metaphors enhance speech. But correctly dosing the metaphorical spice in the dish of language is no easy task. They ‘must not be far-fetched, or they will be difficult to grasp, nor obvious, or they will have no effect’, as Aristotle already noted nearly 2,500 years ago. For this reason, artists – those skilled enhancers of experience – are generally thought to be the expert users of metaphors, poets and writers in particular.

Unfortunately, it is likely this association with the arts that has given metaphors a second-class reputation among many thinkers. Philosophers, for example, have historically considered it an improper use of language. A version of this thought still holds significant clout in many scientific circles: if what we care about is the precise content of a sentence (as we often do in science) then metaphors are only a distraction. Analogously, if what we care about is determining how nutritious a meal is, its presentation on the plate should make no difference to this judgment – it might even bias us.

B y the second half of the 20th century, some academics (especially those of a psychological disposition) began turning this thought upside down: metaphors slowly went from being seen as improper-but-inevitable tools of language to essential infrastructure of our conceptual system.

Leading the way were the linguist George Lakoff and the philosopher Mark Johnson. In their influential book , Metaphors We Live By (1980), they assert that ‘most of our ordinary conceptual system is metaphorical in nature’. What they mean by this is that our conceptual system is like a pyramid, with the most concrete elements at the base. Some candidates for these foundational concrete (or ‘literal’) concepts are those of the physical objects we encounter in our every day, like the concepts of rocks and trees. These concrete concepts then ground the metaphorical construction of more abstract concepts further up the pyramid.

Lakoff and Johnson start from the observation that we tend to talk of abstract concepts as we do of literal ones. For instance, we tend to speak of ideas – an abstract concept that we cannot directly observe – with the same language that we use when we speak about plants – a literal concept with numerous observable characteristics. We might say of an interesting idea that ‘it is fruitful’, that someone ‘planted the seed’ of an idea in our heads, and that a bad idea has ‘died on the vine’.

The goal of an argument under the ‘dance’ framing would not be to ‘win’ it but to produce a pleasing final product

It is not just that we speak this way: Lakoff and Johnson take us to really understand and make inferences about the (abstract) concept of an idea from our more tangible understanding of the (concrete) concept of a plant. They conclude that we have the conceptual metaphor IDEAS ARE PLANTS in mind. (Following convention, I will capitalise the conceptual metaphor, wherein the abstract concept comes first and is structured by the second.)

Lakoff and Johnson further illustrate this with the following example. In English, the abstract concept of an argument is typically metaphorically structured through the more concrete concept of a war: we say that we ‘win’ or ‘lose’ arguments; if we think the other party to be uttering nonsense, we say that their claims are ‘indefensible’; and we may perceive ‘weak lines’ in their argument. These terms come from our understanding of war, a concept we are disconcertingly familiar with.

The novelty of Lakoff and Johnson’s proposal is not in noticing the ubiquity of metaphorical language but in emphasising that metaphors go beyond casual speech: ‘many of the things we do in arguing are partially structured by the concept of war.’ To see this, they suggest another conceptual metaphor, ARGUMENT IS A DANCE. Dancing is decisively a more cooperative enterprise than war – the goal of an argument under this framing would not be to ‘win’ it but to produce a pleasing final product or performance that both parties enjoy. The dynamics of how we’d think about an argument under such a framing would be very different. This highlights the role of metaphors in creating reality rather than simply helping to represent it.

M etaphors thus seem to provide the foundation of how we conceptualise abstract concepts (and, therefore, much of the world). A single metaphor, though, only partly structures complex concepts – typically, more are used. Take the concept of romantic love. A widespread conceptual metaphor in a variety of languages is ROMANTIC LOVE IS A JOURNEY. It is common to say that a relationship is ‘at a crossroads’ when an important decision must be made, or that people ‘go their separate ways’ when they split. (Charles Baudelaire’s 1857 poem ‘Invitation au voyage’ is a notable play on this conceptual metaphor, where the speaker invites a woman to both a metaphorical and a literal journey.) Again, these metaphorical conceptualisations greatly affect how we act in a relationship: without the notion of a crossroads in my relationship, I probably would not have considered the need for a serious conversation with my partner about our state.

But love, so important for human life, is partially structured by innumerably many other metaphors. Another common one – perhaps fossilised by Ovid’s poem with the same title – is ROMANTIC LOVE IS WAR. It is common to read that one party ‘conquers’ the other or is ‘gaining ground’ with an initially reluctant partner, and that one’s hand can be ‘won’ for marriage. (Already with this example, we see that pervasive metaphorical framings can have not-so-subtle misogynistic undertones.)

To the eternal question ‘What is love?’, conceptual metaphor theory has an answer: the bundle of metaphors that are used to conceptualise it. LOVE IS A JOURNEY and LOVE IS WAR are two instances of this bundle that highlight and create different aspects of the concept of love.

Any speaker knows that the language we use matters, and that there is a complex feedback between the language we speak and the thoughts we think. Empirical studies support this intuition: having different conceptual metaphors in mind, people will tend to make different decisions in the same context (a reasonable indicator that they harbour different concepts).

Metaphors influence opinions, including how people view climate change or the police

In one such study , two groups were shown a report on the rising crime rate in a city. One group received a report that opened with the statement ‘Crime is a virus ravaging the city,’ while the other group received a report that started with ‘Crime is a beast ravaging the city.’ The two groups were thus primed to metaphorically structure the concept of crime with two distinct concepts: virus or beast. They were then asked about which measures they would implement to solve the crime problem. Those who were primed to have the conceptual metaphor CRIME IS A BEAST were much more likely to recommend punitive measures, such as increasing the police force and putting criminals in jail (just as one would, presumably, put a beast in a cage). Those who were primed to entertain CRIME IS A VIRUS tended to suggest measures that are associated with epidemiology: to contain the problem, to identify the cause and treat it, and to implement social reforms. Remarkably, the participants were not aware of the effect these metaphorical framings had on their choices. When asked why they chose the solutions they did, respondents ‘generally identified the crime statistics, which were the same for both groups, and not the metaphor, as the most influential aspect of the report.’

Crime is not an outlier: studies with similar setups strongly suggest that the choice of conceptual metaphors significantly influences the opinions and decisions of individuals in a variety of settings. Among others, these include how people view the threat of climate change, their attitudes towards the police, and their financial decision-making.

The significance of metaphors and analogical thinking is even more pronounced in children. Spearheaded by work by the cognitive scientists Dedre Gentner and Keith Holyoak, the study of analogical reasoning is now a flourishing research programme. There is considerable evidence of the importance of the use of analogy in the development of children; studies suggest that relational thinking – essential for making analogies – predicts children’s test scores and reasoning skills. Though many of these studies have yet to be replicated, metaphors seem to literally shape the brain.

It is also not an exaggeration to say that metaphors scaffold science, that conceptual system of organising knowledge. In Polarity and Analogy (1966), a fascinating study of the use of analogies and metaphors in ancient Greek science, the historian Sir Geoffrey Lloyd makes a compelling case for the importance of analogies in guiding early scientific thought. For example, Lloyd highlights how analogies with political organisations shaped views about the cosmos. A typical ancient Greek approach to explain the Universe involved postulating fundamental substances and then explaining how these interact (Empedocles famously proposed that the four fundamental substances are fire, air, water, and earth). To help determine the relations between the substances, these ancient scientists would invoke analogies with their political systems. One prominent conceptual metaphor used was the COSMOS IS A MONARCHY, where a single substance has supreme power over the others. This language is still used in modern-day physics when we hear that the laws of the Universe govern our world. Another prevalent conceptual metaphor was the COSMOS IS A DEMOCRACY; this framing, which appeared only after democracy was established in Athens, holds that the fundamental substances are in equal rank and function with a sort of contract among themselves.

This use of political metaphors is not just stylistic. Lloyd writes that ‘time and again in the Presocratics and Plato, the nature of cosmological factors, or the relationships between them, are understood in terms of a concrete social or political situation’. From the point of view of conceptual metaphor theory, this makes sense: to understand a new, abstract and invisible concept (the fundamental substances of the Universe), it is only natural that these thinkers analogised it to phenomena they had direct experience with (their political organisation).

Metaphors and analogies are not mere artefacts of ancient science but also vital instruments of the contemporary scientific orchestra. They help formulate and frame theories: political metaphors, not unlike those used by the ancient Greeks, are frequent in modern biology, which is rife with the language of ‘regulators’ – invoking the regulatory bodies now present in modern governments. These metaphors highlight the checks and balances that exist within complex biological systems, paralleling the way government regulators maintain order in their respective domains. Military metaphors are also common: the immune system is repeatedly framed as an army that protects the body from ‘invading’ pathogens. Metabolic pathways are also often analogised to freeways, equipped with ‘bypasses’, and sometimes experiencing ‘roadblocks’ or ‘traffic’, as noted by the philosopher Lauren Ross.

Analogies are also central for generating new hypotheses (what we might call scientific creativity). A notable example is that of Charles Darwin’s idea of natural selection, which he came to by drawing an analogy with the selective practices of farmers. Roughly, the analogy could be cashed out as follows: nature selects organisms for fitness in a similar way that farmers select the best crops for taste, disease resistance and other attributes.

G iven the nature of our metaphorical minds, it is worth asking: are our conceptual metaphors apt? We owe it to ourselves and others to reflect on the appropriateness of the metaphors we employ to frame the world. These choices – conscious or not – can be constructive or disastrous.

Consider the metaphorical discourse between doctors and patients in cancer care. These conversations shape how the patients judge their own experience and so, inevitably, impact their wellbeing. War metaphors are ubiquitous , which says a lot about our culture. Cancer care , unsurprisingly, is no different: patients are often said to be ‘fighting a battle’ with cancer and are judged on their ‘fighting spirit’. Research, however, suggests that this conceptual metaphor causes real harm to some patients. For example , the Stanford palliative care doctor Vyjeyanthi Periyakoil found that ‘opting to refuse futile or harmful treatment options now becomes equivalent to a cowardly retreat from the “battleground” that may be seen as a shameful act by the patient’. In other words, a patient who is already preoccupied with dying from the disease may feel the additional – unnecessary and cruel – shame for not continuing to ‘fight’.

An oncologist review article urges nurses and doctors to rethink the usefulness of this militaristic metaphor. The alternative proposed is to use the conceptual metaphor CANCER IS A JOURNEY to frame the patient experience. Reconceptualising it in this way leads to different thoughts: cancer is not a battle to be conquered, but an individual and unique path to navigate; the experience with the disease is not something that ends (as war typically does) but an ongoing neverending process (with periodic hospital visits to monitor any recurrence).

Any suggested conceptual re-engineering needs to be tested to see if it actually works better than the previous framing. This seems to be the case for the journey metaphor: patients who reframed their cancer experience in this way had a more positive outlook, generally increased wellbeing and reported spiritual growth. (I suspect that a similar mindset switch would do a lot of good for people suffering from mental health and chronic diseases, since these are even less obviously distinct entities that need to be ‘fought’, but rather experiences patients have to live with, often for the rest of their lives.)

The war metaphor is also known to increase racist sentiments, something we’ve seen during the pandemic

Being clear at both linguistic ends – patient and doctor, and more generally non-expert and expert – on what metaphors are used to conceptualise illness is critical: two interlocutors speaking about what they think is the same concept, but each framing that concept with a different metaphor, is a recipe for miscommunication. And miscommunication can be painful, especially when one party is experiencing a disease that profoundly consumes every aspect of their being.

We should also question current metaphorical framing of complex societal challenges – writing in The New York Times in 2010, the economist Paul Krugman warns that ‘bad metaphors make for bad policy’. The COVID-19 pandemic is a case in point: the long-standing practice to employ war metaphors to speak about pandemics was a trend observed with the coronavirus outbreak as well. Common phrases included ‘nurses in the trenches’, healthcare workers as a ‘first line of defence’, and politicians announcing that the nation is at ‘war’ against an invisible enemy.

At first examination, war metaphors might seem to convey the gravity of the situation and mobilise people for action. But it is important in such cases to consider the unintended consequences that come with a choice of metaphorical framing. War, for example, generally requires intense nationwide mobilisation for action, whereas plagues require the majority of the population to stay home and do nothing. The war metaphor is also known to increase racist sentiments, something we’ve seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As an alternative, some linguists have suggested that a more fitting metaphor would be to reconceptualise it as the PANDEMIC IS A FIRE, since this emphasises the urgency and destructiveness of the health crisis, while avoiding some of the drawbacks of the war metaphor. This is not to say that it is wrong or unethical to have in mind the PANDEMIC IS A WAR – it could be that the war framing is in fact the best to mobilise people and motivate them to stay home during pandemic emergencies. The point is, rather, that knowing its potential problems should prompt us to use the metaphor with extra precautions.

It should be clear that the power a choice of metaphor(s) has in structuring our thoughts makes the tool vulnerable to be hijacked by grifters and politicians to advance their own agenda. To take but one example, in 2017 Donald Trump used a version of Aesop’s fable of The Farmer and the Snake to metaphorically frame immigrants in a negative light. The fable recounts a farmer who, on her way home, finds a freezing and ill snake. Taking pity on the creature, the woman brings it home and keeps it warm. On her way back from work the next day, she sees that the snake is healthy again. Consumed by joy, she gives the snake a hug. The snake, in turn, fatally bites her. The farmer asks the snake why it would do such a thing; feeling no remorse, the snake says: ‘You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in.’ By reading out this story in a speech, Trump primed the audience to conceptualise that IMMIGRANTS ARE SNAKES, and the UNITED STATES IS A WOMAN. The philosopher Katharina Stevens makes a convincing case that Trump used this fable to lend support to the belief that immigrants are a national security threat (just as the snake is a threat to the woman).

Metaphors can also perpetuate a language of dehumanisation that paves the conceptual road for the worst kinds of human atrocities. During the Rwandan genocide, the country’s main radio station played a key role in framing how its Hutu majority saw the Tutsi minority: they repeatedly used metaphors to dehumanise the Tutsis – a well-known example is of analogising Tutsis to cockroaches. When such a metaphor is so internalised that it structures the concept people have of such a group, it follows almost immediately that they will want to get rid of them (just as they would of actual cockroaches). That is what happened. The particularly frightening power of conceptual metaphors is not that a group is seen unfavourably and then , to emphasise this point of view, referred to by dehumanising metaphors. Rather, it is that the metaphorical construction used to frame a particular group in the first place is a reason why the other group sees them that way. Lakoff was right when he warned that ‘Metaphors can kill.’

S uppose we notice that we harbour concepts whose metaphorical foundation causes harm. Can we really reconstruct the concept with a different metaphorical foundation? Lakoff and Johnson think so – I hope they are right, even if doing so is no easy task.

The first step is to notice the metaphor; this is not always obvious. One way of reconstructing part of the history of feminist thought is to say that the thinkers spotted the pernicious metaphor of framing women as objects in the conceptual structure of the patriarchal society around them. Among those who pointed out the pervasive conceptual metaphor WOMEN ARE OBJECTS was the feminist Andrea Dworkin, who wrote that ‘objectification occurs when a human being … is made less than human, turned into a thing or commodity’. Though in contemporary discourse there is an acknowledgment that this conceptualisation is widespread (consciously or not), at the time of writing Woman Hating (1974), Dworkin explicitly emphasises the need to make people aware of it.

Once the conceptual metaphor is explicitly spelled out, the next step is to argue why it is undesirable and in need of change. With objectification, many ethical problems arise; significantly, the autonomy of the woman is reduced, which enables unbalanced power dynamics. This is a considerable harm in need of imperative remedy. To fight back, feminist writers have searched for the cause of this metaphorical conceptualisation and sought – and continue to seek – to dismantle it. (Dworkin and her fellow feminist Catharine MacKinnon take pornography to be a primary cause, though this has been challenged by other thinkers.)

The most important first step is to be aware that a concept we have is constructed metaphorically

The deeper a metaphor is rooted in the collective psyche, the harder it is to replace. But, even when ingrained, small changes can sometimes have important effects. One such minor change was done by The Guardian : in 2019, they changed their style guide to advise authors to use the term climate ‘crisis’ or ‘emergency’ instead of climate ‘change’. The editor-in-chief, Katharine Viner, justified this by noting that the current language sounded ‘rather passive and gentle when what scientists are talking about is a catastrophe for humanity’. This sort of change in language can slowly alter how readers understand the gravity of the climate situation.

Much research still needs to be done. How can we know whether a conceptual metaphor is doing what we want of it? What features do good alternative conceptual metaphors have in common? How can we successfully dismantle the foundational metaphor of a concept? Some harmful metaphors will be harder to free ourselves from than others; however, the most important first step is to be aware that a concept we have is constructed metaphorically. Finding these should, in many cases, be rather easy: after all, as the philosopher Nelson Goodman observes, ‘metaphor permeates all discourse, ordinary and special, and we should have a hard time finding a purely literal paragraph anywhere.’

Metaphors are (metaphorically) woven into the fabric of our language and thought, shaping how we grasp and articulate abstract concepts. We should therefore feel free to prudently explore alternative metaphors and judge whether they perform better. A collective effort to notice and change the metaphors we use has enormous potential to reduce individual and societal harm.

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Berkeley’s People’s Park Is a Metaphor That Has Outlived Its Use

Symbols are meant to represent abstractions, not replace them..

Dashka Slater April 14, 2024

People's Park in 1970. Robert Altman/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

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This essay was originally published on Dashka Slater’s Substack, A Sigh of Relief , which you can sign up for here . 

I was homeless when I started college at the University of California, Berkeley. First-year students weren’t guaranteed housing in those days, and I’d been unable to secure a spot in either the dorms or the student-run housing co-ops. Over the summer, I’d applied for rooms in dozens of shared houses and apartments listed at the University Housing Office, but nobody wanted to rent a room to a 17-year-old freshman. And so, as my first day of college approached, I was couch-surfing, spreading out my sleeping bag in the living rooms of the daughters of my mom’s friends and acquaintances, most of them much older than me and visibly unenthusiastic about my presence.

Finally, I was desperate enough to respond to an ad for a room that had been posed on the bulletin board of one of Berkeley’s co-op supermarkets. The room, in a rambling wood-shingled North Berkeley house, was lovely, but it came with a catch. The residents were the remaining members of a 1960s commune that had dwindled nearly to extinction. I would only be allowed to stay if I eventually agreed to join a “group marriage” with people several decades older than me.

Yes, that means exactly what you think it does.

I successfully dodged this commitment for a couple of months, dutifully appearing for the occasional communal dinners but skedaddling as soon as I’d cleared my plate. But my lack of interest in even talking to the other people in the commune, much less, er, marrying them, didn’t go unnoticed. At the beginning of November, I came home from school to find a note taped to my door telling me I needed to move out. In what felt like a miracle, the same day I was kicked out of the commune, I finally landed a spot in a student co-op.

It is for this reason, perhaps, that I’ve followed UC Berkeley’s 55-year quest to build student housing on the site of People’s Park with particular interest. To this day, 10 percent of Cal students are homeless, with the university providing housing for only 23 percent. Yet despite my firsthand experience of the housing crisis, as a student I dutifully adopted the position of my fellow campus leftists: People’s Park was a sacred site, an ecotopian symbol, a legacy of student activism that must continue in its current state for evermore.

Ken Swofford, 69, rested by his tent at People’s Park, where the University of California is determined to build housing for 1,100 students and 100 unhoused and low-income people.

The story of People’s Park started in 1969. The university had razed the homes on the 2.8-acre property years before with the intention of using the land for student housing, but then had left it as a vacant eyesore. When students and local residents decided to turn the lot into a kind of community garden, the university responded by fencing it off. On May 15, inspired by student body president-elect Dan Siegel, who urged the crowd to “go down and take the park,” 3,000 protesters marched toward the park. Law enforcement turned out en masse to stop them. As the Bancroft Library writes :

The confrontation quickly turned violent with demonstrators throwing bottles and rocks, setting cars alight, and smashing fire hydrants open. Law enforcement first responded with tear gas, and then with shotguns loaded with rock salt, birdshot, and buckshot.

Police arrest a student during unrest that followed the closure of “People’s Park” in June 1969.

In the ensuing riot, a bystander, James Rector, was killed by police, another was blinded, and many more were wounded. Gov. Ronald Reagan declared a “state of extreme emergency” and dispatched 2,700 members of the National Guard to enforce a curfew and a ban on public gatherings.

And thus, a symbol was born.

“The Park is a symbol to those who support it of freedom and the struggle for freedom…To some, the Park is an eyesore to the community. To others, it is an oasis where one can freely express themselves,” park activist Ron Jacobs  wrote in 1981.

I was a student around the same time those words were written, and my job as a lobbyist for the leftist student government required me to pretend that I saw People’s Park as Jacobs described it—as a holy space, a symbol of Freedom and Community and Sticking It To The Man.

In reality, what I saw at People’s Park were fights, drug use, dog and human shit, and people who were either drunk, high, experiencing a psychotic episode, or some combination of the three. At night, I avoided walking anywhere near it, for the same reasons I avoided any place with an abundance of unlit greenery and groups of inebriated men.

But even as the park itself deteriorated, the  story of the park flourished. During the 1990s, I covered the battles over the park as a reporter, once spending an entire weekend at a kind of collective therapy session for activists, residents, and police who had participated in the ritualized battles over the park for decades. Those battles only served to cement People’s Park as a place where symbolism existed independently of experience, sometimes with tragic results.

As the Los Angeles Times recall ed recently :

In the early 1990s, a machete-wielding activist infuriated by the university’s construction of volleyball courts at the park was shot and killed by police after she broke into the campus residence of then-Chancellor Chang-Lin Tien. Police said they found a note in the teenager’s bag. It read: “We are willing to die for this piece of land. Are you?”

And so it has continued up until the present moment. “It’s not the land only, it’s the history. You are taking part of Berkeley history,”  a demonstrator explained last month during yet another round of pro-park protests.

But by then, the gulf between symbol and reality had become impossible to bridge. In early January, the university made  a surprise attack during the dead of night and quickly erected a double-high wall of shipping containers around the park’s periphery before bulldozing the lot completely. There was literally no land left to defend. Only the history. The symbol.

Workers erect a wall of shipping containers around People’s Park on January 4, 2024. (Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Still, the story wasn’t finished. Earlier this month, the dispute went before the California Supreme Court . Two community groups—Make UC A Good Neighbor and The People’s Park Historic District Advocacy Group —had sued the university  to block its plans to build housing for some 1,100 students and 100-plus formerly unhoused and very-low-income people, while keeping 60 percent of the lot as publicly accessible open space and erecting a memorial to commemorate the park’s history. The groups argued that the university should have assessed the noise the students would generate and considered alternative sites.

These arguments, which prevailed in a lower court, seem unlikely to stop the project now —not since last year, when the state legislature preemptively passed a state law saying universities don’t have to do either of the above when building student housing.

What’s interesting to me, at this point, is why some of the campus radicals I went to college with are  still fighting this fight . Surely advocates for the homeless must see that housing 1,200 people will do more to address local homelessness than allowing a couple dozen people to camp in the park. And if they don’t  see that, why not?

In January, four of the founders of People’s Park  wrote in The Nation that the park has spent the past 50 years as “a site of the unhoused, the deranged, and the forlorn.” But they were still not willing to consider the park a failure.

“People’s Park, at its best, was an expression of the utopian yearnings of a generation that sought to make a better world,” they wrote, arguing that if only the university had acted differently, it would have lived up to those ambitions.

A drone view of the stage at Peoples Park.

In my mind, at least, People’s Park is an expression of something else entirely. Rather than utopian yearnings, it represents the way symbols can be separated from their actual significance. No matter how beautiful the dream of People’s Park was, the reality was quite different—and has been for decades. Yet the discourse remains unchanged and untouched year after year. This is what symbols do. They can persist long after their meaning has left the building. Just ask The Cross.

It happens with astonishing regularity. Think of all the times when an individual offender has been used to symbolize Crime Writ Large, as when  Richard Allen Davis , who killed 12-year-old Polly Klaas in the early 1990s, was used by California politicians to pass the horrific three strikes law  that drastically increased the amount of time people served in prison. ( About one-third of California prisoners today are serving sentences extended by that law.) And consider how historical figures have become stand-ins for political ideals, and how wounded we often feel when we learn of their flaws. Does Thomas Jefferson embody America’s virtues or its vices? What about Abraham Lincoln ? John Muir ?

Consider how the right has used trans kids as symbols of the Breakdown of Society, or all the political mileage both the left and the right can get by simply mentioning the acronym DEI. Think about the way US realtors responded to the “racial reckoning” of 2020 by removing the phrase “Master Bedroom” from its lexicon, rather than actually tackling housing discrimination and predatory lending. Guns, flags, cars, abortion, marriage, Israel, Palestine—when a word alone is enough to conjure an entire political discourse, you know that the stark simplicity of the symbol has eclipsed the messy complexity of reality.

We are, by nature, symbolic thinkers. It’s part of what makes us human. But symbols are there to  represent  abstractions, not to replace them. Too often, we waste our time arguing about the symbols themselves, rather than working for the ideals they’re supposed to represent. Real change can only happen when we see things as they are—complicated, concrete, and contradictory.

Was People’s Park a glorious triumph or an abysmal failure? In symbolic terms, it must be one or the other. Only when we remove the weight of symbolism can we see it as it really was: a little of both, and a lot of neither.

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Berkeley's People's Park is a metaphor that has outlived its use

This essay was originally published on Dashka Slater’s Substack, A Sigh of Relief, which you can sign up for here. I was homeless when I started college at the University of California, Berkeley. First-year students weren’t guaranteed housing in those days, and I’d been unable to secure a spot in either the dorms or the student-run housing co-ops. Over the summer, I’d applied for rooms in dozens of shared houses and apartments listed at the University Housing Office, but nobody wanted to rent a room to a 17-year-old freshman. And...

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• Super easy to use: create a professional and distinctive call-for-speakers page in just three simple steps. This not only saves you time but also ensures a polished and eye-catching presentation for potential speakers.
• Save hours of sifting through applications: Our software assesses the applications and presents you with a refined list of top candidates.
• Get better speakers: With the cream of the crop to choose from, your attendees will have a better experience. 

Given the high demand for this feature, it’s crucial to secure your spot on the waiting list to ensure you don’t miss out on these valuable benefits.

join the waiting list and revolutionize your call for speakers process today!

Failing to offer value to speakers

Early engagement and clear benefits

• Event organizers must initiate contact with potential speakers 4-6 months in advance.  This ensures there is ample time to communicate the value of the event. 
• Engaging early through platforms like LinkedIn or the event’s social media channels is smart. It allows for a relationship to be built even before a formal speaker submission. 
• This strategy not only aligns with the speakers’ schedules but also allows them to understand how their participation fits within the broader event themes.

Comprehensive support and creative freedom

• Providing robust support and allowing creative freedom are essential to offering real value to speakers. Event organizers should offer tailored support. This could include assistance with technology for virtual presentations or logistical support for in-person events. 
• Additionally, allowing speakers to have a hand in designing their presentations. Perhaps letting them choose how they wish to engage with the audience can make the opportunity more appealing. 
• For example , a speaker might prefer to use interactive polls or live Q&A sessions to increase audience engagement.

Attractive compensation and incentives

• Compensation for speakers should not be limited to financial remuneration. Offer a mix of incentives. Things like product promotion opportunities, exclusive access to services or products, or even professional recognition like awards. 
• For university and college event planners, providing perks such as waiver of attendance fees, special recognition during the event, or a professional photography session can be very effective. 

BONUS ADVICE – Make sure you avoid these common mistakes when managing event speakers ! 

Say Bye to Back-and-Forth Emails: Manage Speakers with Sched from Sched Support on Vimeo .

The takeaways

You now know what to avoid when crafting your Call for Papers . Better yet, you also have new tips that you can use to take your speaker submissions to new levels!

And, best of all, you’ve left with the ticket to our waiting list. Entry to that will give you early access to our BRAND NEW Call for Papers tool.

But why wait, you can start Sched for free now. We’ve got loads more awesome tools already waiting for you.