Metaphor
You may associate metaphors with poetry and fiction more than essay
writing, but figurative language, which is the best general term for what is
often referred to as “metaphor,” can be a very powerful tool in any kind of
writing. Figurative language is set in opposition to literal language. Literal
language is objective and factual (or at least aims to be). On the other hand,
figurative language employs “figures of speech,” non-literal language,
comparisons. Some of the most common forms of figurative language are
metaphor, simile, analogy, metonymy, symbolism, allegory, hyperbole,
personification, and imagery. Confusingly, while “metaphor” is sometimes
used as a synonym for figurative language—as a general term that
encompasses all such non-literal language—it also has a specific meaning as
well: an implicit comparison (“Her smile is a ray of sunshine”). An explicit
comparison is called a simile (“Her smile is like a ray of sunshine”).
Figurative language of any sort can enliven dry prose. By creating
comparisons and evoking sensory details you can tie abstract ideas to the
material world. The human brain responds more quickly to the concrete than
to the abstract. This is why reading philosophy can be so difficult compared
to reading a physical description. Adding metaphor to your essays to
strengthen the ties between your ideas and concrete sensory details can make
your essays both more interesting and more clear.
For example, in an essay about George Orwell’s 1984, you decide you
want to convey how terrifying his vision is of how a totalitarian state can
control the lives and even the thoughts of its citizens. You can factually
describe the events portrayed in the novel, but it might be even more
effective to add a figurative comparison: “The nightmare evoked by the
novel is the kind that keeps you up for hours afterward, wondering if the
darkness of night will ever end, or if you’ll ever be able to return to the
oblivion of sleep.” Now you’ve conveyed not only what Orwell writes, but
also how it makes a reader feel.
An analogy is a type of figurative language that is often useful in
writing essays. An analogy is a comparison between two or more objects or
ideas, one of which is more familiar or easier to understand. That first object
or idea is used to explain or clarify the other or others, which are less
familiar or more difficult to understand. Analogies can be used to make a
single point quickly, or can be extended across a full paragraph. An analogy
can also be used to structure an essay by extending it through every
paragraph! Here are some examples:
1) To make a single point: “Learning is like running on a treadmill.
You’re always moving but never go anywhere. Still, at least you
aren’t sitting still, and giving the brain a good workout is just as
important to your mental health as giving your muscles a good
workout is to your physical health.”
2) To structure the entire essay: “The most significant aspect of
learning is not to become wed to any single idea. It’s the kiss of
death. Just like matrimony in the real world, becoming wed to just
one idea cuts you off from the myriad possibilities of a free
existence and imprisons you in a narrow world of limited
experience that never changes.”
[This would then, conceivably, be followed by
paragraphs that expand on the two results of being wed to
a single idea: lack of a free existence and an unchanging
world of limited experience.]
To develop analogies you need first of all to figure out the aspects you
want to focus on. Then, you must connect those aspects to some other
idea/form/object/etc. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the threat
of nuclear annihilation, you might isolate three aspects of the possibility that
interest you: nuclear bombs are a man-made technology, the possibility of
their being unleashed is terrifying, and the destruction would be enormous.
You might then be reminded of another piece of terrifying man-made
technology that turned on its creator and destroyed him, so that you would
develop the analogy: The nuclear bomb is the Frankenstein monster of the
twenty-first century….
The more points of correspondence and the clearer they compare, the
more effective your analogy will be. Some analogies have only a single
point of correspondence, which can be a weakness. For example, if you say,
“my dad is like a bagel,” readers will be likely to first have a visual image.
The analogy will seem weird, as they picture your dad as a very round man
with a hole in his middle. But what you had in mind was not a visual
analogy, but one comparing texture: “My dad is like a bagel, tough on the
outside, soft on the inside.” While this initial misunderstanding could
weaken the analogy, it also might end up being even more effective, as the
full analogy surprises and perhaps delights your readers. Another example of
an analogy with a single point of correspondence is: “Maintaining a
romantic relationship is like climbing a mountain, the harder you work and
higher you climb, the better the view gets.” Here’s an analogy with three
points of correspondence: “Marriage is like a life sentence in jail. You get
your own personal ball and chain, you never get to see your old friends
anymore, and you can only get out if you break out.”
As a final note, you should remember that metaphors are common
parts of everyday language that everyone uses, all the time. There is nothing
unusual or special about figurative language. For example, think of all the
metaphors for “time” that are used. Or just think about those that refer to
“time” in relation to economics. That should make it clear to you not only
that such metaphors are very common, but also that metaphors (and
languages in general) clearly reveal the attitudes and beliefs of the people
who use them.
Time is money.
It’s a waste of time.
Let’s save some time.
I’ve got some free time on my hands.
Let’s spend some time together.
Clearly, our culture is very concerned with time management! Other
metaphors involving time follow. Note how many of these personify time, as
if it were alive:
Time flies/crawls.
I’ve got time to kill.
Call a time out.
Time is on your side.
Time waits for no one.
The clock is against you / you can’t beat Father Time
Time slips away.