Metaphor
Literary term · say it MET-uh-for
A metaphor is a comparison that describes one thing as another, rather than saying they are alike. It helps readers understand a feeling, person, or idea through something more familiar or concrete.
Two common kinds of metaphor
Direct metaphor
A direct metaphor names one thing as another. The connection asks readers to notice a shared quality, not a literal fact.
In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo compares Juliet to the sun when he sees her at her window, suggesting her brightness and importance to him.
In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Extended metaphor
An extended metaphor develops the same comparison across several lines, a passage, or a whole work. Each new detail adds to the connection.
In As You Like It, Jaques compares the world to a stage and people to actors, then describes the stages of life as different roles.
In As You Like It by William Shakespeare
How to spot metaphor
- Look for a description that cannot be literally true.
- Identify the two things being compared and the quality they share.
- Follow any details that carry the comparison further.
What is the difference between metaphor and simile?
A metaphor describes one thing as another, while a simile explicitly compares them, usually with like or as. Calling a room a furnace is a metaphor; saying the room is like a furnace is a simile.
What is the difference between metaphor and symbolism?
Metaphor makes a comparison, while symbolism lets something stand for a meaning beyond itself. A locked door might symbolize lost opportunity without being compared to anything. The two can overlap when a comparison also carries a wider meaning throughout a story.
Related terms
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