How to Analyze the Use of Metaphors in Literature
A metaphor is an important literary device, most often found in poetry, though prose pieces utilize them as well. It involves the use of dissimilar terms that in comparison reveal new truths about one, or both, items. They are used to describe something that the author cannot adequately represent in a literal fashion or in a simple declarative sentence, or they can broaden or bring a fresh perspective to a familiar or overused subject or action. Whatever the author's intent, analyzing the context in which a metaphor is used will reveal much about the poem's or prose work's meaning.
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Instructions
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Read the text. Underline the metaphors that appear. Take note of recurring metaphors and the context under which they appear.
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2
Determine how the metaphors are used. For instance, some metaphors might relate to images and how they are described. In a poem, a person can be compared to a shadow. In a short story, a metaphor might be used to compare a character's face with a sledgehammer.
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Take note of the intent of the metaphor. For instance, what is the intention of a poet who refers to a person as a shadow? What do shadows generally mean? Shadows might symbolize death. What does this say about the character and the poet's relationship to her?
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Look at the poem or story's meaning. What is the poem or story about? For instance, the poem in which a person is compared to a shadow could be about the ending of a relationship. How does this metaphor relate to the poem's meaning?
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Determine how the metaphor works within the theme. For instance, the person compared to a shadow in a poem about the ending of a relationship can bring up underlying themes of loss and memory.
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