Metaphors
The word ‘Metaphor’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘transfer’.
Metaphors compare two different things or ideas.
• the leg of the table: The leg supports our body. So, the object that supports a table is described as a leg.
• the heart of the city: The heart is an important organ in the center of our body. So, this word is used to describe the central area of a city.
Some more examples of metaphors:
1. Life is a dream.
2. Rana Pratap was the lion of India.
3. I am the star of my family.
In pairs, find metaphors from the story to complete the table below. Try to say what qualities are being compared.
One has been done for you.
Object | Metaphor | Quality of featured compared |
Cloud | Huge mountains of clouds | The mass or ‘hugeness’ of mountains. |
Raindrops | ||
Hailstones | ||
Locusts | ||
An epidemic (a disease) that spreads very rapidly and leaves many people dead. | ||
An ox of a man. |
Object | Metaphor | Quality of feature compared |
1. Cloud | Huge mountains of clouds | The mass or ‘hugeness’ of mountains |
2. Raindrops | New coins | Excessive value like money and metal. |
3. Hailstones | New silver coins, frozen pearls | Ornamentals value, hugeness of ice. |
4. Locusts | Plague of locusts | An epidemic (a disease) that spreads very rapidly and leaves many people dead. |
5. Farmer | An ox of a man | A hard working and laborious person. |