Warm Up- Pair/Share Discuss what you know about metaphors. Begin your mind mapping. Choose and say one of the three sentence frames to discuss metaphors with your partner. 1)“I know that a metaphor is______. An example of a metaphor is________”. 2)“I think a metaphor is__________. I think this because _______________”. 3)“I do not know what a metaphor is but I can make an educated guess that it has something to do with___________.”

Metaphor as Figurative Language

Figurative Language Easy Definition Figurative language or speech contains images. The writer or speaker describes something through the use of unusual comparisons, for effect, interest, and to make things clearer. The result of using this technique is the creation of interesting images.

Hard Definition Figurative language is not intended to be interpreted in a literal sense. Appealing to the imagination, figurative language provides new ways of looking at the world. It always makes use of a comparison between different things. Figurative language compares two things that are different in enough ways so that their similarities, when pointed out, are interesting, unique and/or surprising.

Why is figurative language very important? Figurative language brings a nebulous concept alive and gives it substance. It allows the reader to visualize or associate something in the real world with abstract information. It leaves an impression. It adds interest and color to a written piece. It clarifies in imagery what words might never truly express.

Readers remember the material best when figurative language assists them through the dry and otherwise boring material. Without figurative language, the writing can be a walk in the desert

Difference between Simile and Metaphor Even though similes and metaphors are both forms of comparison, similes allow the two ideas to remain distinct in spite of their similarities, whereas metaphors seek to equate two ideas despite their differences.

Metaphor Makes a comparison between seemingly unlike things which connects an idea in your writing to something new and creates a powerful picture for your reader. Basic Idea: Environmentalists are trying to preserve natural resources. Stated Metaphorically: Environmentalists are the design engineers for spaceship earth.

Common Metaphors The crowd began to simmer down. -Heat is activity, and activity is heat. Up and down are also used metaphorically. A recipe for disaster. -A disaster is the finished product of bad ingredients and processes. She had a raw talent for music. -Talent is only potential, and must be developed (cooked).

Let’s examine why... What are metaphors and how can we construct them? Metaphors: Creating a metaphor involves the process of identifying a general or basic pattern in a specific topic and then finding another topic that appears to be quite different but has the same general pattern.

Love is a Rose 1. Literal Interpretation: ROSE – blossom, sweet to smell, pleasant to look at, but has thorns that can stick you and hurt you. 2. Abstract: LOVE/ROSE – both are something wonderful, but if you get too close you might get hurt. 3. Literal Interpretation: LOVE – makes you feel happy, but the person you love can end up hurting you

Conclusions? 1. Abstract level – Love and Rose appear related; therefore, 2. Instructional strategies address abstract relationships

Graphic Organizer Life is a box of chocolates. Element#1 Literal Pattern Abstract Literal Pattern Element#2 Life A journey Surprising Unexpected Turn of events Varieties Sweet Unexpected Turn of events Box of chocolates One never knows what one gets in life Can be surprising, unexpect- ed

How to make a metaphor Sun, Diamond : “The sun was a diamond in the sky”.

Make a Metaphor Mind, Sponge What does a sponge do? Soak up liquid. Can your mind soak up anything? “Her mind was a sponge absorbing all the details”.

Group Work-Create a metaphor for each pair of cards. Choose a scribe for the group – one paper for all Write one sentence for each of your metaphor cards explaining what the metaphors mean. Example: “The sun was a diamond in the sky”. The sun was bright, shiny and stood out against the blue of the sky.

Extending a Metaphor A metaphor can serve as the unifying element throughout a series of sentences. Extending a metaphor in this way helps you expand or clarify an idea in your writing. Example: –A writer is a kind of forest ranger, leading his readers like a troop of tenderfoots along an unfamiliar trail. If the guide does a good job, his charges will not stumble over strange words or awkward clauses; they will not lose their way in an underbrush of ambiguity. — James Kilpatrick

Group Paper Extension Work to extend one of your metaphors into a paragraph, as in the example. Follow the rules on pages 052 in Write for College Read pages for additional help with your college essays