metaphors in essay writing

25 Metaphors for Essays

Metaphors are a powerful tool in writing and can add depth and richness to your essay.  

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things, using “like” or “as” to make the comparison. 

By using metaphors in your writing, you can paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind and help them better understand and relate to your ideas. 

In this blog post, we will explore some common metaphors for essays and the different ways they can be used to enhance your writing. 

Whether you are just starting out with essay writing or are an experienced writer looking for new ways to engage your readers, this post will provide you with some helpful tips and ideas for using metaphors effectively. 

So, let’s dive in and explore the world of metaphors for essays!

Metaphors for Essays

• “The world is a stage.” This metaphor suggests that life is a performance and we are all actors on the stage of the world.
• “Time is money.” This metaphor equates the value of time with the value of money, implying that time is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.
• “He is a snake in the grass.” This metaphor describes someone who is sneaky and untrustworthy, likening them to a snake hiding in the grass.
• “She has a heart of gold.” This metaphor describes someone who is kind and generous, likening their heart to the precious metal gold.
• “He is a bear in the market.” This metaphor describes someone who is aggressive and successful in business, likening them to a bear in the stock market.
• “She is a ray of sunshine.” This metaphor describes someone who brings joy and light to a situation, likening them to a ray of sunshine.
• “He is a lion in the courtroom.” This metaphor describes someone who is confident and fierce in a legal setting, likening them to a lion.
• “She is a diamond in the rough.” This metaphor describes someone who has untapped potential or hidden qualities, likening them to a diamond that has yet to be polished.
• “He is a butterfly in the wind.” This metaphor describes someone who is unpredictable or fleeting, likening them to a butterfly being blown by the wind.
• “She is a rose among thorns.” This metaphor describes someone who stands out or is exceptional in a negative or difficult situation, likening them to a rose among thorns.
• “He is a fish out of water.” This metaphor describes someone who is uncomfortable or out of place in a particular situation, likening them to a fish out of water.
• “She is a bird in a gilded cage.” This metaphor describes someone who is trapped or unable to fully experience life, likening them to a bird in a gilded cage.
• “He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” This metaphor describes someone who appears kind or harmless, but is actually dangerous or deceitful, likening them to a wolf disguised as a harmless sheep.
• “She is a butterfly emerging from a cocoon.” This metaphor describes someone who is going through a transformation or transition, likening them to a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.
• “He is a snake oil salesman.” This metaphor describes someone who is dishonest or fraudulent in their sales tactics, likening them to a 19th century salesman who sold fake cures in the form of snake oil.
• “She is a feather in the wind.” This metaphor describes someone who is easily swayed or influenced, likening them to a feather being blown by the wind.
• “He is a monkey on his back.” This metaphor describes someone who is struggling with an addiction or problem that they cannot shake, likening it to a monkey clinging to their back.
• “He is a tiger in the jungle.” This metaphor describes someone who is strong and fierce in a particular environment, likening them to a tiger in the jungle.
• “She is a flower in bloom.” This metaphor describes someone who is flourishing or thriving, likening them to a flower in bloom.
• “He is a dragon hoarding treasure.” This metaphor describes someone who is greedy or possessive, likening them to a dragon hoarding treasure.

In conclusion, metaphors are a valuable and effective tool for writers looking to add depth and clarity to their essays. 

By comparing two unlike things and using “like” or “as” to make the comparison, metaphors can help readers better understand and relate to your ideas. 

Whether you are just starting out with essay writing or are an experienced writer looking for new ways to engage your readers, incorporating metaphors into your writing can be a powerful technique.

We hope that this blog post has provided you with some helpful tips and ideas for using metaphors effectively in your own essays. 

Remember to always consider your audience and the purpose of your writing when choosing and using metaphors, and don’t be afraid to get creative and try out different approaches. 

With a little practice and experimentation, you can master the art of using metaphors to add depth and impact to your writing.

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26 Metaphors for Essays: Crafting Literary Masterpieces

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Welcome to the realm of literary expression, where words transcend their literal meanings. In the intricate dance of language , metaphors emerge as poetic devices, breathing life into essays. This guide delves deep into the art of crafting essays with 26 metaphors, unraveling the tapestry of creativity and linguistic elegance.

26 Metaphors for Essays

• The Essay as a Journey : Navigating through the pages is like embarking on a literary expedition, each paragraph a step forward in exploration.
• Words as Building Blocks: Just as a builder meticulously selects bricks, the writer chooses words to construct the foundation of their essay.
• Essays as Time Capsules of Thought: Imagine essays as sealed capsules, preserving and encapsulating the essence of thoughts for future revelation.
• The Pen as a Sword: In the hands of a skilled writer, the pen transforms into a mighty sword, carving narratives that leave a lasting impact.
• The Canvas of Ideas: Essays are blank canvases awaiting the strokes of creativity, each idea a vibrant color adding depth to the masterpiece.
• The Musical Composition of Sentences: Sentences harmonize like musical notes, with metaphors as the chords that create a symphony of literary brilliance.
• Metaphors as Sparks of Imagination: Like sparks that ignite a fire, metaphors fuel the flames of imagination, turning the mundane into the extraordinary.
• Weaving Metaphors in the Fabric of Expression: Writers, akin to skilled weavers, interlace metaphors into the very fabric of their expression, creating textured narratives.
• The Alchemy of Creativity in Writing: Metaphors, like alchemists’ potions, possess the transformative power to turn ordinary words into literary gold.
• Essays as Gardens of Ideas: Cultivating ideas in essays is akin to tending a garden, with each thought blooming like a unique, vibrant flower.
• The Essayist as an Architect: Just as an architect plans a structure, essayists carefully design their compositions, selecting metaphors as architectural embellishments.
• Metaphors as Bridges: In the vast landscape of ideas, metaphors act as bridges, connecting the reader to the writer’s thoughts seamlessly.
• The Essayist as a Sculptor: Sculpting words, essayists chisel away the unnecessary, revealing the masterpiece within, with metaphors adding intricate details.
• The Essay as a Puzzle: Each paragraph in an essay is a puzzle piece, and metaphors are the connectors that bring coherence to the overall picture.
• Metaphors as Light in Darkness: Just as a beam of light dispels darkness, metaphors illuminate essays, revealing hidden nuances and depths.
• Essays as Culinary Delights: Crafting an essay is like preparing a culinary masterpiece, with metaphors as the seasonings that enhance the flavor.
• The Essay as a Conversation: Essays engage in a dialogue with readers, and metaphors serve as eloquent conversationalists, making the exchange more dynamic.
• Metaphors as Windows: They open windows to new perspectives, allowing readers to view familiar concepts in refreshing and insightful ways.
• The Essay as a Symphony: Like a symphony, essays require harmony, and metaphors contribute the musicality that resonates with the reader.
• Essays as Mirrors: Reflecting thoughts and ideas, essays are mirrors that reveal the depth of the writer’s insights, with metaphors as the silver lining.
• The Essayist as a Gardener of Ideas: Just as a gardener tends to plants, essayists nurture ideas, with metaphors acting as the fertilizer that promotes growth.
• Metaphors as Spice in Writing: Essays become literary dishes, and metaphors are the spices that infuse the writing with zest and vibrancy.
• Essays as Constellations: Like stars in a constellation, each idea in an essay forms a unique pattern, with metaphors connecting them into a meaningful whole.
• The Essayist as a Tour Guide: In the journey of an essay, the writer is a guide, and metaphors are the landmarks that make the experience memorable.
• Metaphors as Puzzle Pieces: Each metaphor fits into the essay like a puzzle piece, contributing to the overall coherence and completeness.
• The Essay as a Tapestry: Woven with threads of ideas, an essay is a tapestry, and metaphors add intricate patterns that make it visually and intellectually appealing.

These metaphors provide imaginative ways to conceptualize the art of essay writing.

Words as Building Blocks

In the intricate process of crafting an essay, words serve as the foundational building blocks, carefully selected to construct a robust structure that conveys the intended message. This metaphor emphasizes the importance of precision and thoughtfulness in word choice.

When to Use:

• Formal Context: In academic or professional essays where clarity and precision are paramount.
• Informal Context: When sharing personal reflections or experiences in a blog post.

Example: Formal Context: “In scholarly endeavors, each word acts as a building block, contributing to the solid foundation of academic discourse.”

Informal Context: “As I penned down my thoughts, I realized how each word became a building block, shaping the narrative of my personal journey.”

Variations:

• Colleague Interaction: “In our collaborative report, let’s ensure every word functions as a building block for a cohesive document.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your storytelling is fantastic! Each word feels like a building block, constructing a vivid picture in my mind .”

Pros and Cons:

• Pros: Enhances clarity, strengthens the essay’s structure.
• Cons: Risk of overthinking word choice; may slow down the writing process.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that each word used aligns with the overall tone and purpose of the essay, maintaining consistency and coherence.

Definition: The metaphor “words as building blocks” underscores the foundational role of individual words in constructing a well-organized and impactful essay.

• Consider the connotation and nuance of each word.
• Use a diverse vocabulary to add richness to the essay.

Essays as Time Capsules of Thought

As we delve into the realm of essay writing, envisioning essays as time capsules offers a poignant perspective. Each essay becomes a vessel, encapsulating and preserving the essence of thoughts, ideas, and perspectives for future revelations.

• Formal Context: Reflecting on the historical significance or evolution of ideas.
• Informal Context: Sharing personal reflections on life experiences.

Example: Formal Context: “In academic writing, essays act as time capsules, capturing the intellectual evolution of concepts over the years.”

Informal Context: “As I penned my reflections on the past year, I realized my journal entries serve as time capsules, preserving my thoughts and emotions.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Your thesis is a time capsule, showcasing the evolution of your research journey.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your travel essay reads like a time capsule, vividly preserving the essence of your adventures.”
• Pros: Adds depth and significance to the essay; offers a reflective element.
• Cons: May require a thoughtful selection of ideas for preservation.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure the ideas encapsulated in the essay align with the overall theme and purpose, maintaining coherence.

Definition: The metaphor “essays as time capsules” highlights the role of essays in preserving and encapsulating thoughts and ideas for future reference.

• Clearly define the time frame or context within which the ideas are encapsulated.
• Use vivid language to enhance the time-capsule imagery.

The Pen as a Sword

In the arsenal of writing metaphors, the imagery of the pen as a sword captures the transformative power wielded by skilled writers. Every stroke becomes a strategic move, carving narratives with precision and leaving a lasting impact on readers.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the persuasive and influential nature of academic or professional writing.
• Informal Context: Crafting compelling narratives in personal essays or storytelling.

Example: Formal Context: “In legal discourse, the pen is indeed a sword, capable of shaping and reshaping the boundaries of jurisprudence.”

Informal Context: “As I penned my travel memoir, I felt the pen transform into a sword, carving tales of adventure and exploration.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach this proposal as if the pen is a sword, crafting a persuasive argument.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your creative writing is a sword, cutting through ordinary narratives with a unique edge.”
• Pros: Emphasizes the impact of words; encourages powerful and persuasive writing.
• Cons: Requires a nuanced approach to avoid excessive or inappropriate use.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that the metaphor aligns with the tone and objective of the writing, maintaining professionalism and impact.

Definition: The metaphor “the pen as a sword” symbolizes the influential and transformative power of words, likening them to a weapon in the hands of a skilled writer.

• Use this metaphor judiciously to highlight key points or arguments.
• Consider the ethical implications of wielding the “pen-sword.”

The Canvas of Ideas

In the realm of essay writing, viewing essays as blank canvases awaiting strokes of creativity emphasizes the unlimited potential for expression. Each idea is a vibrant color, contributing to the masterpiece being painted with words.

• Formal Context: Encouraging creativity in academic writing, particularly in subjects where innovative ideas are valued.
• Informal Context: Expressing personal thoughts, feelings, or reflections with a creative flair.

Example: Formal Context: “In scientific research, essays serve as canvases, allowing researchers to paint groundbreaking ideas that challenge existing paradigms.”

Informal Context: “My personal essay on resilience became a canvas of ideas, each paragraph a stroke depicting my journey through challenges.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Approach your thesis as a canvas, where each idea contributes to the overall masterpiece.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay on friendship is a vibrant canvas, portraying the beauty of companionship.”
• Pros: Fosters creativity; encourages a fresh and innovative approach to writing.
• Cons: Requires a balance to prevent excessive embellishment that might dilute the message.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that the metaphor aligns with the overall purpose of the essay, maintaining coherence and relevance.

Definition: The metaphor “the canvas of ideas” illustrates the creative and expressive nature of essays, likening them to a blank canvas waiting to be adorned.

• Encourage experimentation with ideas, allowing for a diverse and colorful essay.
• Use vivid language to enhance the imagery of the canvas.

The Musical Composition of Sentences

In the symphony of essay writing, sentences harmonize like musical notes, and metaphors act as the chords that create a melodious and captivating composition. This metaphor highlights the rhythmic flow and cadence that metaphors contribute to the overall structure of an essay.

• Formal Context: Enhancing the eloquence of academic writing, particularly in literature or humanities disciplines.
• Informal Context: Infusing storytelling with a rhythmic and musical quality, making the narrative more engaging.

Example: Formal Context: “In literary analysis, consider each sentence as a musical note, and metaphors as the chords that elevate the entire composition.”

Informal Context: “As I crafted my personal essay, I aimed for a musical composition of sentences, where metaphors acted as harmonious chords guiding the reader through the narrative.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach the introduction like a musical composition, where each sentence sets the tone for the entire essay.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your storytelling reads like a musical composition, with metaphors serving as delightful harmonies.”
• Pros: Enhances the rhythm and flow of writing; adds a lyrical quality to the essay.
• Cons: Requires careful consideration to maintain coherence and prevent overuse.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that the musical metaphor aligns with the overall tone and theme of the essay, creating a harmonious blend.

Definition: The metaphor “the musical composition of sentences” evokes the rhythmic and harmonious quality of well-crafted sentences in essay writing.

• Pay attention to sentence structure and variety to create a musical rhythm.
• Experiment with pacing, using metaphors strategically to enhance the cadence.

Metaphors as Sparks of Imagination

Unlocking the door to creativity, metaphors serve as sparks that ignite the flames of imagination in the essay-writing process. This metaphor emphasizes the transformative power of metaphors in turning mundane concepts into vivid and imaginative expressions.

• Formal Context: Encouraging imaginative thinking in academic or technical writing, especially in fields where creativity is valued.
• Informal Context: Adding a touch of flair to personal narratives or creative non-fiction.

Example: Formal Context: “In scientific discourse, metaphors act as sparks, igniting new perspectives and fostering innovative approaches to complex problems.”

Informal Context: “As I delved into my reflective essay, I realized how metaphors served as sparks, transforming ordinary memories into vivid and imaginative stories.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Think of metaphors as sparks in your thesis, infusing your research with imaginative and innovative thinking.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your metaphors are sparks of creativity, turning a simple story into a captivating adventure.”
• Pros: Stimulates creative thinking; adds a dynamic and engaging element to writing.
• Cons: Requires a balance to prevent excessive metaphorical embellishment.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that the metaphor aligns with the context and purpose of the essay, sparking imagination without veering off-topic.

Definition: The metaphor “metaphors as sparks of imagination” emphasizes the role of metaphors in sparking creative thinking and imaginative expression in essays.

• Experiment with unexpected metaphors to surprise and engage the reader.
• Use metaphors strategically to convey abstract concepts in a concrete and imaginative manner.

Weaving Metaphors in the Fabric of Expression

Imagine the act of essay writing as a textile art, where writers weave metaphors into the very fabric of their expression. This metaphor underscores the intricate and deliberate nature of incorporating metaphors seamlessly into the narrative.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the artistry of language in academic or professional writing, particularly in literature or arts-related subjects.
• Informal Context: Conveying personal stories with a rich tapestry of metaphors, making the narrative more engaging.

Example: Formal Context: “In art history essays, consider metaphors as threads, intricately woven into the fabric of expression, adding depth and nuance to your analysis.”

Informal Context: “As I shared my life experiences in the essay, each metaphor became a thread, weaving through the fabric of expression and creating a vivid tapestry of my journey.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach the conclusion like skilled weavers, weaving metaphors into the fabric of expression for a memorable ending.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your metaphors are like threads, weaving through the fabric of your storytelling, creating a colorful and captivating narrative.”
• Pros: Enhances the richness of language; creates a visually appealing and immersive experience for the reader.
• Cons: Requires careful consideration to maintain coherence and prevent metaphorical overload.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors are seamlessly integrated into the overall narrative, contributing to the fabric of expression without overshadowing the main message.

Definition: The metaphor “weaving metaphors in the fabric of expression” portrays essay writing as a deliberate and artistic process where metaphors are integral to the overall composition.

• Use metaphors strategically to emphasize key points and evoke emotions.
• Ensure the metaphorical threads align with the thematic focus of the essay.

The Alchemy of Creativity in Writing

In the enchanting world of essay writing, metaphors act as alchemists’ potions, possessing the transformative power to turn ordinary words into literary gold. This metaphor emphasizes the magical and elevating quality that metaphors bring to the craft of writing.

• Formal Context: Encouraging creative thinking and expression in academic or professional essays, especially in disciplines that value originality.
• Informal Context: Elevating personal narratives or creative non-fiction with a touch of literary alchemy.

Example: Formal Context: “In philosophical discourse, metaphors act as alchemists, transmuting abstract concepts into literary gold, making complex ideas accessible and engaging.”

Informal Context: “As I explored my emotions in the essay, metaphors worked like alchemy, turning ordinary feelings into a golden tapestry of introspection.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Think of metaphors as your writing alchemy, transforming ordinary ideas into literary treasures in your dissertation.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your metaphors are like alchemy, turning everyday stories into captivating narratives with a touch of magic.”
• Pros: Elevates writing to a higher level; adds a touch of magic and allure to the narrative.
• Cons: Requires careful selection to avoid overuse and maintain authenticity.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors align with the overall tone and purpose of the essay, contributing to the alchemy of creativity without becoming distracting.

Definition: The metaphor “the alchemy of creativity in writing” illustrates the transformative power of metaphors, turning ordinary words into literary gold in the process of essay crafting.

• Experiment with unconventional metaphors to infuse a sense of magic and wonder into the writing.
• Use metaphors sparingly to maintain their enchanting impact.

Essays as Gardens of Ideas

Embark with me on the metaphorical journey where essays are likened to gardens, and ideas flourish like vibrant flowers, adding color, depth, and fragrance to the narrative. This metaphor emphasizes the nurturing aspect of essay writing, where writers carefully cultivate and present a diverse array of ideas.

• Formal Context: Encouraging a comprehensive exploration of ideas in academic writing, especially in subjects that require depth and diversity of thought.
• Informal Context: Crafting personal essays that showcase a rich tapestry of thoughts and reflections.

Example: Formal Context: “In sociological essays, think of ideas as blossoming flowers, each representing a unique perspective contributing to the overall garden of knowledge.”

Informal Context: “My reflective essay on personal growth became a garden of ideas, where each paragraph bloomed like a distinct flower, revealing a different facet of my journey.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach this research paper like gardeners, nurturing diverse ideas that collectively enrich the overall narrative.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your essay is like a garden of ideas, with each thought blooming into a beautiful flower, creating a captivating bouquet of storytelling.”
• Pros: Encourages a holistic exploration of ideas; adds depth and diversity to the essay.
• Cons: Requires careful organization to ensure each idea contributes cohesively to the overall narrative.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that each idea is carefully cultivated and presented, contributing meaningfully to the overarching theme of the essay.

Definition: The metaphor “essays as gardens of ideas” conveys the nurturing and diverse nature of ideas in the essay-writing process, akin to tending to a garden.

• Cultivate a variety of ideas to create a rich and engaging narrative.
• Ensure a balance between depth and breadth in exploring different perspectives.

The Essayist as an Architect

Picture the essayist as an architect, meticulously planning the structure of an essay, with metaphors acting as architectural embellishments that enhance the overall design. This metaphor underscores the importance of thoughtful composition and strategic use of metaphors in crafting compelling essays.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the strategic organization of ideas in academic or professional essays, especially in disciplines where structure is crucial.
• Informal Context: Applying a deliberate and structured approach to storytelling in personal essays.

Example: Formal Context: “In business essays, consider each section as a blueprint, and metaphors as architectural embellishments that reinforce the solidity of your argument.”

Informal Context: “As I constructed my narrative essay, I approached it like an architect, planning the structure with metaphors as decorative elements, enhancing the overall design.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Approach your dissertation like an architect, with each chapter as a carefully planned structure, and metaphors as essential design elements.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay is like a well-designed building, with metaphors serving as architectural details that make the storytelling more compelling.”
• Pros: Enhances the organization and coherence of the essay; adds a visual and structural dimension to the writing.
• Cons: Requires careful planning to ensure metaphors align with the overall structure and theme.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors contribute to the architectural integrity of the essay, reinforcing the structure without overshadowing the core message.

Definition: The metaphor “the essayist as an architect” paints a vivid picture of the deliberate planning and structured approach to essay writing, with metaphors as integral architectural elements.

• Plan the essay structure carefully, assigning specific roles to different sections.
• Use metaphors strategically to reinforce key points and contribute to the overall coherence.

Metaphors as Bridges

Imagine the vast landscape of ideas in an essay as a series of islands, and metaphors as bridges that seamlessly connect these intellectual realms. This metaphor highlights the role of metaphors in creating smooth transitions between different concepts, ensuring a cohesive and engaging journey for the reader.

• Formal Context: Facilitating the logical progression of ideas in academic writing, especially in essays that explore diverse topics.
• Informal Context: Connecting personal anecdotes or reflections in a way that feels natural and effortless.

Example: Formal Context: “In political science essays, think of metaphors as bridges, linking theories and real-world applications to create a cohesive and insightful narrative.”

Informal Context: “As I shared my travel experiences, metaphors acted as bridges, seamlessly connecting one destination to another, creating a fluid and captivating storytelling experience.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s treat each section of our report as an island, and use metaphors as bridges to connect the ideas, ensuring a smooth transition between concepts.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your essay feels like a journey with metaphors serving as bridges, linking different aspects of your story in a way that flows naturally.”
• Pros: Enhances the flow of ideas; ensures a seamless transition between different sections.
• Cons: Requires thoughtful selection to maintain coherence and avoid abrupt shifts.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors serve as effective bridges, guiding the reader from one idea to the next without causing confusion or disconnection.

Definition: The metaphor “metaphors as bridges” emphasizes the role of metaphors in creating connections and maintaining a smooth flow of ideas in an essay.

• Use metaphors strategically at key transition points to guide the reader through the essay.
• Ensure that each metaphorical bridge enhances the overall coherence and narrative progression.

The Essayist as a Sculptor

Envision the essayist as a sculptor, shaping words and ideas with precision, and metaphors as intricate details that add depth and nuance to the crafted piece. This metaphor emphasizes the deliberate and artistic nature of essay writing, where every word contributes to the overall composition.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the meticulous crafting of arguments and analysis in academic essays, particularly in disciplines that value precision.
• Informal Context: Adding an artistic flair to personal essays, where the narrative is shaped with care and intention.

Example: Formal Context: “In literary analysis, view metaphors as the sculptor’s chisel, carving out layers of meaning and interpretation with precision.”

Informal Context: “As I penned my reflective essay, I approached it like a sculptor, molding my experiences with metaphors as intricate details, shaping the narrative with care.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Consider each paragraph as a piece of marble, and metaphors as the sculptor’s tools that refine and enhance the overall structure of your thesis.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay is like a sculpture, with metaphors as the detailed carvings that make the storytelling more vivid and impactful.”
• Pros: Elevates the writing to an artistic level; adds precision and depth to the overall composition.
• Cons: Requires careful consideration to avoid excessive ornamentation.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors act as sculptor’s tools, enhancing the clarity and impact of the essay without overshadowing the main message.

Definition: The metaphor “the essayist as a sculptor” conveys the intentional and artistic approach to essay writing, where metaphors serve as tools for refinement and precision.

• Approach each paragraph with the intention of sculpting a clear and impactful narrative.
• Use metaphors sparingly to maintain the overall focus and coherence of the essay.

The Essay as a Symphony

Envision the essay as a symphony, where each paragraph contributes a unique note, and metaphors act as harmonious chords that resonate throughout the composition. This metaphor underscores the rhythmic and coordinated nature of a well-structured essay, where metaphors play a vital role in creating a harmonious narrative.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the orchestration of ideas in academic essays, particularly in subjects that require a cohesive and interconnected argument.
• Informal Context: Crafting personal essays with a rhythmic flow, where each metaphor contributes to the overall harmony of the narrative.

Example: Formal Context: “In historical essays, metaphors function as chords, weaving through each paragraph and creating a symphony of interconnected ideas that resonate with the reader.”

Informal Context: “As I shared my life story in the essay, I aimed for a symphony of emotions, where metaphors acted as chords, adding depth and resonance to my narrative.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach the conclusion as the grand finale of our symphony, using metaphors as chords to create a lasting impression on our readers.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your essay reads like a symphony, with metaphors serving as harmonious chords that make the storytelling captivating and memorable.”
• Pros: Enhances the overall rhythm and coherence of the essay; creates a memorable and engaging reading experience.
• Cons: Requires careful selection to maintain thematic unity and prevent discordant notes.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors contribute to the symphonic nature of the essay, creating a cohesive and well-orchestrated composition.

Definition: The metaphor “the essay as a symphony” conveys the coordinated and rhythmic nature of a well-structured essay, where metaphors function as harmonious chords.

• Use metaphors strategically to emphasize key themes and create a sense of unity.
• Consider the pacing and placement of metaphors to enhance the overall symphonic experience.

The Essayist as a Navigator

Picture the essayist as a navigator, steering through the vast sea of ideas with precision, and metaphors as navigational tools that guide readers through the intellectual journey. This metaphor emphasizes the strategic use of metaphors to ensure clarity and coherence in the exploration of complex topics.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the logical progression and navigation of ideas in academic essays, especially in disciplines that require a clear and structured argument.
• Informal Context: Creating personal essays where metaphors act as guiding lights, making the narrative accessible and engaging.

Example: Formal Context: “In scientific essays, metaphors function as navigational tools, guiding readers through the intricate concepts and ensuring a clear understanding of the research.”

Informal Context: “As I delved into philosophical reflections, I saw myself as a navigator, using metaphors as guiding stars to lead readers through the complexities of my thoughts.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Treat your literature review as a navigational map, and use metaphors as tools to guide your readers through the diverse scholarly perspectives.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay is like a journey with you as the navigator, and metaphors as compass points that make the exploration both insightful and enjoyable.”
• Pros: Enhances the clarity and accessibility of complex ideas; guides readers through a well-structured intellectual journey.
• Cons: Requires thoughtful selection to avoid confusion and maintain the logical flow.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors function as effective navigational tools, aiding readers in understanding the progression of ideas in the essay.

Definition: The metaphor “the essayist as a navigator” portrays the intentional and strategic role of metaphors in guiding readers through the intellectual landscape of an essay.

• Use metaphors to introduce and connect key concepts in a way that aids understanding.
• Ensure that each metaphor aligns with the overall theme and purpose of the essay.

The Essay as a Kaleidoscope

Imagine the essay as a kaleidoscope, where ideas and perspectives shift and blend, creating a vibrant and ever-changing pattern. Metaphors, in this context, serve as the colorful elements that contribute to the kaleidoscopic richness of the narrative.

• Formal Context: Emphasizing the diversity of perspectives and ideas in academic writing, particularly in subjects that encourage varied viewpoints.
• Informal Context: Crafting personal essays with a dynamic and ever-evolving exploration of experiences and reflections.

Example: Formal Context: “In cultural studies essays, metaphors function as elements in a kaleidoscope, allowing readers to see the same topic from different angles, creating a nuanced and comprehensive understanding.”

Informal Context: “As I shared my personal journey, I envisioned my essay as a kaleidoscope, with each metaphor adding a burst of color, shaping the ever-shifting pattern of my experiences.”

• Colleague Collaboration: “Let’s approach this interdisciplinary essay as a kaleidoscope, where each section contributes a unique perspective, and metaphors act as the vibrant elements that tie everything together.”
• Friend’s Response: “Your storytelling is like a kaleidoscope, with metaphors adding diverse hues to the narrative, creating a rich and captivating tapestry.”
• Pros: Adds richness and diversity to the narrative; encourages readers to appreciate multiple facets of a topic.
• Cons: Requires careful organization to prevent the essay from becoming disjointed.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors contribute to the kaleidoscopic nature of the essay, enhancing the overall vibrancy and diversity of perspectives.

Definition: The metaphor “the essay as a kaleidoscope” portrays the dynamic and ever-changing nature of ideas and perspectives, with metaphors as key elements that contribute to the kaleidoscopic richness.

• Use metaphors strategically to explore different aspects of a topic.
• Ensure a cohesive and well-structured essay, even as perspectives shift and evolve.

The Essayist as a Gardener of Thought

Visualize the essayist as a gardener, tending to the seeds of thoughts and ideas with care, and metaphors as the nutrients that enrich the intellectual soil. This metaphor emphasizes the nurturing aspect of essay writing, where metaphors play a vital role in cultivating a fertile ground for insightful discussions.

• Formal Context: Encouraging the development and growth of ideas in academic writing, particularly in essays that require in-depth exploration.
• Informal Context: Crafting personal essays with a focus on the careful cultivation of thoughts and reflections.

Example: Formal Context: “In psychological essays, metaphors serve as nutrients for the intellectual garden, fostering the growth of theories and facilitating a deeper understanding of complex concepts.”

Informal Context: “As I explored my personal beliefs, I saw myself as a gardener of thoughts, using metaphors as nutrients to cultivate a rich and flourishing landscape of ideas.”

• Mentor-Mentee Discussion: “Approach your thesis as a garden of thoughts, and let metaphors act as the nutrients that enhance the intellectual richness of your research.”
• Friend’s Feedback: “Your essay feels like a carefully tended garden, with metaphors serving as nutrients that make the ideas flourish and bloom.”
• Pros: Fosters the growth and development of ideas; contributes to a nuanced and well-explored narrative.
• Cons: Requires thoughtful selection to ensure metaphors align with the overall theme and purpose.

Grammar/Usage Rule: Ensure that metaphors act as effective nutrients, enhancing the intellectual soil and contributing to the overall richness of the essay.

Definition: The metaphor “the essayist as a gardener of thought” conveys the intentional and nurturing approach to essay writing, where metaphors play a vital role in fostering the growth of insightful ideas.

• Use metaphors strategically to enrich the intellectual landscape of the essay.
• Ensure a balanced and well-nurtured exploration of ideas, even as metaphors contribute to their growth.

How do metaphors enhance essays?

Metaphors elevate essays by adding depth and vividness, making abstract concepts relatable and engaging.

• Use metaphors when you want to evoke emotions and create a lasting impression.
• Employ metaphors in descriptive and narrative writing to paint vivid pictures for your readers.

Example: “Incorporating metaphors in your essay enhances the overall reading experience, transforming abstract concepts into tangible images that resonate with your audience.”

Tip: “Experiment with various metaphors to find the ones that best convey your intended message. Consider the emotions and images each metaphor evokes.”

Can I use metaphors in academic essays?

Absolutely! Thoughtful use of metaphors can enhance the clarity and impact of academic writing.

• Introduce metaphors sparingly in academic essays to emphasize key points.
• Ensure that the metaphor aligns with the formal tone of academic writing and enhances understanding.

Example: “While maintaining academic rigor, strategic use of metaphors can elucidate complex theories and captivate the reader’s attention in your research paper.”

Tip: “Avoid clichéd metaphors in academic writing. Instead, opt for metaphors that bring fresh perspectives to your subject matter.”

Are clichéd metaphors a red flag?

While clichés should be used sparingly, a well-placed familiar metaphor can effectively convey ideas.

How to choose the right metaphor?

Consider your message and audience; choose metaphors that resonate and enhance your intended meaning.

Can metaphors be humorous in essays?

Certainly! Humorous metaphors inject personality into your writing, making it more enjoyable for readers.

Do metaphors work in technical writing?

Yes, when used judiciously. Metaphors can simplify complex ideas, aiding understanding in technical writing.

In conclusion, the arsenal of metaphors is a potent tool for crafting essays that linger in the minds of readers. This guide has unveiled the artistry of metaphorical expression, encouraging writers to embrace creativity and wield metaphors with finesse. As you embark on your essay-writing journey, remember the transformative power of metaphors in shaping literary masterpieces.

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Metaphor Definition

What is metaphor? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor can be stated explicitly, as in the sentence "Love is a battlefield." Other times, the writer may make this equation between two things implicitly , as in, "He was wounded by love." The comparisons created by metaphor are not meant to be taken literally. Rather, metaphors are figurative —they create meaning beyond the literal meanings of their words. For instance, these examples are, of course, not saying that love is actually a field of battle or that the person actually got a physical injury from love. Instead, they capture how love can be painful, a struggle, even a showdown between opponents, and—as many good metaphors do—through their comparison they make description more vivid, more relatable, or reveal new ways of seeing the world.

Some additional key details about metaphor:

• Metaphor is one of the most common figures of speech , used by writers throughout history and across the world. They are common in everyday speech and all forms of writing, from narrative fiction, to poetry, to persuasive writing.
• Metaphor is a type of analogy : a comparison between two things or ideas. Take a look at the entry that covers analogy to learn more about the difference between analogy and metaphor.
• There are actually two accepted definitions of metaphor: one that's quite broad, and one that's more specific. The broader definition includes any type of comparison or association, and includes under its umbrella other figures of speech, such as simile . The other, more narrow definition is the one we focus on in this entry, and is limited to figures of speech that state one thing is the other.

Metaphor Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce metaphor: met -uh-fore

The Anatomy of a Metaphor

Metaphors can be broken down into two elements: a tenor and a vehicle.

• The tenor is the thing a metaphor describes.
• The vehicle is the thing to which the tenor is compared.

For instance, in the metaphor " Love is a battlefield ," love is the tenor because it's the thing being described, while "battlefield" is the vehicle because it's the thing love is being compared to. The metaphor operates by borrowing key attributes from the vehicle and ascribing them to the tenor: love is violent, brutal, life-threatening.

A strong metaphor is one in which the attributes shared by the vehicle and the tenor are clear without further explanation. For example, "she's a gem" is a widely used metaphor whose meaning would probably be pretty clear even if we hadn't all heard it a thousand times: it's a way of saying someone is precious, treasured, lovely. "He's a peanut butter sandwich," on the other hand, is a pretty mystifying statement, since the vehicle—a peanut butter sandwich?—doesn't immediately call to mind any particularly vivid qualities or adjectives, let alone adjectives that would be used to describe a person. As a result, a weak metaphor such as this one leaves the mind searching for a basis of comparison between the tenor and the vehicle: is he... sticky? Unappetizing? A perfect combination of two things?

Types of Metaphors

There are a handful of varieties of metaphor that fall under the larger umbrella of "metaphor." Here are a few important ones:

• Conventional Metaphors are just what they sound like: metaphors that have become such a common part of speech that they no longer call attention to their status as metaphors. For instance, when we say that someone is an expert in his or her "field," field is a conventional metaphor for "area of study" or "profession," because it's been used so frequently that we don't even realize we're referencing a physical field. Some sources say that when a conventional metaphor has completely lost its "effectiveness" or ability to influence thought, it becomes a Dead Metaphor. The concept of "dead metaphors" is controversial however, because many people argue that simply because something becomes unconscious, doesn't mean it's dead.
• Creative Metaphors, in contrast to conventional metaphors, are novel comparisons that draw attention to their status as metaphors. The following Rita Rudner quote is a creative metaphor: "Before I met my husband, I'd never fallen in love. I'd stepped in it a few times." Rudner, here, is twisting and playing with the metaphor "falling love" to emphasize the fact that it is a metaphor, and then she's creating a new metaphor all her own. (Of course, she's a comedian so she's also doing it to get laughs.)
• Mixed Metaphor is a combination of two or more incongruous comparisons. These can occur accidentally, or a writer may string incompatible metaphors together for comedic effect. For example, the mixed metaphor, "He was born with a silver foot in his mouth" combines the metaphors "To be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth" (meaning: to be born privileged) and "To put one's foot in one's mouth" (meaning: to say something embarrassing) to create a puzzlingly humorous hybrid. Mixed metaphor is often referred to as catachresis.
• "In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note..."
• Absolute metaphors are metaphors in which the tenor can't be distinguished from the vehicle. In other words, the content of the metaphor can't be stated explicitly, because the only way to express the content is through the metaphor itself. An example would be "Life is a journey." We're constantly equating life with a journey, often without realizing it, when we say things like "That kid is off to a good start" or "He's taken the road less travelled," because so much of life is unknown: we have no other way in our language to explain the complex, all-encompassing experience that life is. As a result, this metaphor starts to actually shape the way we see life, and the comparison it makes becomes a truth that's impossible to express without the metaphor itself.

These are the most common varieties of metaphor. Here's a great resource with information about still more types of metaphors.

The Debate Over Metaphor's Meaning

There are actually two accepted definitions of metaphor—one that's quite broad and one that's more specific—and people commonly confuse the two without even noticing, so it follows that there is some debate over which definition is correct . The truth is, both definitions are correct, and for that reason it's useful to have a solid understanding of both, as well as what makes them different. These are the two definitions given in the Oxford Companion to English Language —the first one broad, the other narrow:

• Metaphor: All figures of speech that achieve their effect through association, comparison, and resemblance. Figures like antithesis , hyperbole , metonymy , and simile are all species of metaphor.
• Metaphor: A figure of speech which concisely compares two things by saying that one is the other.

This entry focuses on the second, narrower definition of metaphor. To read more about the broader definition of metaphor, it may help to take a look at the entry on analogy —another broad category that encompasses many of the same figures of speech as the broader definition of metaphor.

Metaphor vs. Simile

Of all the different kinds of figures of speech that fit under the broader definition of metaphor (described above), simile is the one that is most often confused with the more specific definition of metaphor that we cover in this entry, since both simile and metaphor are figures of speech that involve the comparison of unlike things. However, simile and metaphor do not make comparisons in the same way. The most obvious difference between simile and metaphor can be summed up this way:

• Similes use the words "like" or "as" to establish their comparison: "The world is like your oyster."
• Metaphors state the comparison without such connecting words: "The world is your oyster."

While the presence of a connecting word, such as "like" or "as," is generally a good rule of thumb to identify similes versus metaphors, it doesn't get at the root of the difference between these two figures of speech. A deeper way to understand the difference is through the nature of the comparison each one makes:

• A simile makes an explicit comparison by asserting that two different things are similar . A simile sets thing A and thing B side by side to compare them. In the sentence "The world is like your oyster," the listener is asked to mentally visualize and compare "the world" and "an oyster"—as though he or she were holding one in each hand—and draw a comparison between the two.
• A metaphor asserts an implicit comparison by stating that one thing is the other thing . Instead of setting two entities A and B side by side through the use of connecting words, metaphor superimposes them. The metaphor "The world is your oyster" asks the reader to imagine his or her relationship to the world as being the relationship of an oyster to the space inside its shell.

This isn't to say that either a simile or metaphor is stronger or better than the other, just that they are subtly different in the sort of comparison they create, and this difference affects how a reader imaginatively interacts with the text.

Metaphor Examples

Examples of metaphor in literature.

Mastering the art of metaphor is essential to writing vivid, relatable poetry and prose. Furthermore, understanding a writer's use of metaphor will enable you to better understand the specific themes that run throughout works of literature.

Metaphor in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby tells the story of Jay Gatsby, an ambitious young man from a poor background, and his pursuit of the wealthy, aristocratic Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby eventually amasses a fortune large enough to purchase a mansion across the water from Daisy's estate on Long Island, New York. Throughout the novel, Gatsby gazes longingly at the green light that shines from the end of Daisy's dock, and this light becomes a symbol for Gatsby's yearning for the unattainable Daisy. Fitzgerald concludes the novel by adding a further layer of meaning to the metaphor of the Green Light:

Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And then one fine morning—So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Here, the green light isn't simply a symbol for Daisy, but a metaphor for the "orgastic future that year by year recedes before us,"—for the ultimate, unattainable, and perhaps even unknowable goal of each individual's ambition. This use of metaphor is a bit subtler than an "X is Y" construction such as "she's a gem," since Fitzgerald never explicitly states that the green light is anything. Instead, he uses a comma to equate the green light with the "orgastic future" that he then describes in detail. He then broadens and extends the metaphor even further by introducing the image of "boats [beating on] against the current" to describe all people who pursue such a future, seeming to suggest that everyone experiences some version of Gatsby's struggle toward the "green light."

Metaphor in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Romeo uses the following metaphor in Act 2 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet , after sneaking into Juliet's garden and catching a glimpse of her on her balcony:

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Romeo compares Juliet to the sun not only to describe how radiantly beautiful she is, but also to convey the full extent of her power over him. He's so taken with Juliet that her appearances and disappearances affect him like those of the sun. His life "revolves" around Juliet like the earth orbits the sun. The rest of the passage, which we haven't included here, is also an example of extended metaphor—since Romeo continues to speak about Juliet as though she were the sun throughout his brief monologue.

Metaphor in James Joyces' Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a bildungsroman — a novel that follows the journey of a young protagonist from childhood to adulthood. In Portrait, Joyce describes the growth and maturation of Stephen Daedalus, a young boy growing up in an impoverished Irish-Catholic household who ultimately aspires to become a writer. In Chapter 5, Stephen composes the following love poem (a villanelle ) to his beloved Emma Clery (whom he actually barely knows and seldom sees):

Are you not weary of ardent ways, Lure of the fallen seraphim? Tell no more of enchanted days. Your eyes have set man's heart ablaze And you have had your will of him. Are you not weary of ardent ways? Above the flame the smoke of praise Goes up from ocean rim to rim. Tell no more of enchanted days. Our broken cries and mournful lays Rise in one eucharistic hymn. Are you not weary of ardent ways? While sacrificing hands upraise The chalice flowing to the brim, Tell no more of enchanted days. And still you hold our longing gaze With languorous look and lavish limb! Are you not weary of ardent ways? Tell no more of enchanted days.

Stephen's expression of love is full of metaphors—he likens his lovestruck heart to a "blaze," and his words of praise to "smoke." The "chalice flowing to the brim" is similarly a metaphor for the strength of Stephen's feeling—which, in the context of the novel, might be either religious or sexual in nature.

Metaphors occur frequently in love poems such as this, one reason being that the lover or narrator seeks to express the singular, unique experience of love in terms that the reader can relate to. For instance, in the example above from Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare—through Romeo—compares Juliet to the sun, in part because he recognizes that most readers are familiar with the sun's awe-inspiring beauty, and therefore will be better able to imagine Romeo's profound admiration for Juliet through this metaphorical comparison.

However, the use of metaphors can sometimes cover up lack of knowledge about something, and this is particularly relevant to Stephen's poem. Stephen wrote his romantic villanelle to a woman he barely knows and hasn't seen for ten years. His somewhat cliché metaphor comparing love to a "heart ablaze" emitting "smoke of praise" may be interpreted not only as the first attempt of a young poet, but also as an indication that Stephen fully understands neither the woman to whom his poem is addressed, nor the complexity of his own feelings.

Metaphor in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle

The title " Cat's Cradle " refers to a children's game in which the player makes an intricate pattern of X's by weaving a piece of string between his or her fingers. It also functions as an important metaphor in Vonnegut's novel, which follows the attempts of a nameless writer to research Dr. Felix Hoenikker: a scientist who (in the story in the book) helped invent the atomic bomb. The writer reaches out to Hoenikker's son, Newt, who tells him that on the day the Americans dropped the bomb—Dr. Hoenikker's invention—on Hiroshima, his father attempted to play cat's cradle with him. For some inexplicable reason, the game terrified Newt. The adult Newt explains:

"For maybe a hundred thousand years or more, grownups have been waving tangles of string in their children's faces... No wonder kids grow up crazy. A cat's cradle is nothing but a bunch of X's between somebody's hands, and little kids look and look and look at all those X's... No damn cat, and no damn cradle."

It's clear that even as an adult, cat's cradle retains a special significance for Newt: his father used the game as a diversion, lacking in substance and meaning, to distract himself and his son from the terrible reality of the bomb. Later on in the novel, Newt discovers that his sister, Angela, is abused by her husband. Referencing the way Angela hides her unhappiness and lies about her husband's behavior, Newt asks, "See the cat? See the cradle?" In doing so, he compares Angela's efforts to hide her husband's violence to their father's efforts to hide his own acts of violence (using cat's cradle as a distraction). Newt insightfully connects children's games to the games adults play with themselves. In short, cats cradle becomes an elaborate metaphor for evading the truth, and the way that people then become trapped and entangled in those evasions.

Examples of Metaphor in Song Lyrics

Metaphorical comparisons often make language more memorable and more powerful, and can capture and make vivid emotions and feelings in profound, new, arresting, and often concise ways. It's no wonder, then, that musicians across genres regularly use metaphor in their song lyrics.

Metaphor in Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield"

In her most famous song, released on the album Live from Earth in 1983, Benatar compares love—in its dangerousness and its power—to a battlefield:

When I'm losing control Will you turn me away Or touch me deep inside And when all this gets old Will it still feel the same There's no way this will die But if we get much closer I could lose control And if your heart surrenders You'll need me to hold We are young Heartache to heartache we stand No promises No demands Love is a battlefield

Metaphor in Katy Perry's "Firework"

In "Firework" ( Teenage Dream , 2010), Perry uses extended metaphor to compare a firework to her lover's inner "spark" of resilience which, in the context of the song, stands in opposition to the dreary experience of life and the difficulty of communicating with others:

Do you know that there's still a chance for you? 'Cause there's a spark in you You just gotta ignite the light And let it shine Just own the night Like the Fourth of July 'Cause baby, you're a firework C'mon, show 'em what you're worth Make 'em go "Aah, aah, aah" As you shoot across the sky Baby, you're a firework C'mon, let your colors burst Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah" You're gonna leave them all in awe, awe, awe

Metaphor in The Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane"

In the title phrase "Life in the Fast Lane" ( Hotel California , 1976), "the Fast Lane" is a metaphor for a lawless, limitless, risky mindset. If you live life in the Fast Lane, it means that you are edgy, daring, and impulsive, like the couple described in the song:

Life in the fast lane, surely make you lose your mind Life in the fast lane Life in the fast lane, everything all the time Life in the fast lane Blowin' and burnin' blinded by thirst They didn't see the stop sign; Took a turn for the worse She said, "Listen, baby. You can hear the engine ring. We've been up and down this highway; haven't seen a god-damn thing." He said, "Call the doctor. I think I'm gonna crash." "The doctor say he's coming but you gotta pay in cash." They were rushing down that freeway; Messed around and got lost They didn't care they were just dyin' to get off.

The Eagles extend the metaphor of "the fast lane" into the verse following the chorus: the "stop sign" and "engine ring" are metaphors for warning signs suggesting the couple's way of living is unsustainable.

Why Do Writers Use Metaphor?

Writers, and people in general, use metaphors for countless reasons:

• They create memorable images with language.
• They help communicate personal or imaginary experiences in terms to which readers can relate.
• By connecting different spheres of experience and language, they can lead the reader to surprising and important discoveries; the figurative meaning that metaphors create can help a reader to see the world or a concept in a new way.
• They can even sometimes hide a person's lack of knowledge about the things they're discussing.

It should be noted that metaphors aren't merely additive —in other words, they aren't just meant to embellish language or "spice it up." Metaphors actually shape our understanding of the relationships between things in the world. Without even knowing it, we constantly speak and think in metaphors.

Other Helpful Metaphor Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Metaphor: An in-depth explanation of metaphor, its history, and how it relates to other figures of speech.
• The Dictionary Definition of Metaphor: A basic definition and etymology of the term—it comes from the Greek metaphora, meaning "a transfer."
• 99 Metaphors for Love: ThoughtCo's compendium of 99 love metaphors that span genres and centuries.
• A very worthwhile, very 1980s music video of Pat Benatar singing her metaphorically-titled song "Love is a Battlefield."
• The opening scene of Disney's Aladdin, in which Jafar learns he must find the "diamond in the rough"—a metaphorical riddle, the answer to which is Aladdin himself: a "gem" amongst the low-class riffraff.

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Metaphor – Definition & Examples In Academic Writing

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In the realm of academic writing , clarity and precision are key, but occasionally a straightforward sentence just isn’t enough. This is where metaphors come in, serving as powerful tools to illuminate complex ideas. Far from mere decorative flourishes, they simplify, clarify, and deepen academic arguments, as demonstrated in this article with examples. Furthermore, we will explore the utility and appropriateness of employing these figures of speech in various academic disciplines.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 Metaphor in a nutshell
• 2 Definition: Metaphor
• 3 Metaphor examples
• 5 Metaphor synonyms
• 6 Simile and analogy
• 7 Metaphors in academic writing
• 8 How to come up with a metaphor
• 9 What does “metaphorically” mean?

Metaphor in a nutshell

What is a metaphor? It’s a way of describing something by saying it is something else.  You can consider it to be a comparison with an image. For example, when you say, “Life is a roller coaster”, you’re using a metaphor. This is because a roller coaster visualizes the ups and downs and turns of life physically. You don’t mean that life is literally a roller coaster, but you’re suggesting that life has ups and downs, twists and turns, just like a roller coaster ride. So, it helps us understand one thing by comparing it to another thing that we’re already familiar with. It’s like a shortcut for explaining what something is like, making it easier to understand or more interesting to think about.

Definition: Metaphor

The definitions of metaphor often describe it as a figure of speech where one thing is elaborated on as if it were something else, helping to create more vivid imagery in our minds. In simpler terms, the meaning of a metaphor is to explain one thing by directly comparing it to something else, even though the two things are not usually alike. For the comparison, you choose a picture that you use to explain and illustrate the characteristics of the issue you are explaining. Using figurative language, we can convey complex ideas in an easy-to-understand manner by illuminating the characteristics of one thing through the familiar aspects of another. They are found in folk or field songs, films, popular songs, and even presidential speeches.

• Eyes are the windows to the soul.
• This is the icing on the cake.
• She’s going through a rollercoaster of emotions.
• He’s got the stench of failure.
• The world is a stage.

The term “metaphor” has its roots in the Greek language, originating from the word “metaphora”, which itself is derived from the verb ”metapherein”.

• “meta-“ means “across” or “beyond”
• “pherein” means “to carry”

When putting these parts together, “metapherein” literally translates to “carry across” or “transfer”. This etymological background provides insight into the core function: to carry the qualities or meaning of one concept or object across to another. In essence, it serves as a linguistic bridge that links two unrelated things, allowing us to understand one in terms of the other.

Metaphor examples

They are pervasive in both everyday speech and specialized fields, illustrating concepts with clarity and nuance. Understanding a few examples can illuminate their utility and versatility.

Everyday examples

Time is money.

• It suggests that time, like money, is a valuable resource that should not be wasted.
• Love is a battlefield.
• Popularized by the Pat Benatar song, here it is implied that love involves struggle, conflict, and occasional casualties.

He is a couch potato.

• A couch potato refers to a person who constantly sits on the sofa and never leaves the house. Essentially, a very lazy person.

Literary examples

The road not taken.

• Robert Frost’s poem uses a diverging road to symbolize the choices we make in life.

Moby Dick as nature’s fury.

• In Herman Melville’s novel, the white whale serves as a figure of speech for uncontrollable natural forces against which humans struggle.

Pup culture examples

The Force in Star Wars.

• The Force serves various forms of energy, power, and morality, blending spiritual and physical concepts.

The Matrix.

• In the film, the Matrix serves as confining illusions or societal norms that people live by but may not be aware of.

Academic examples

The mind is a computer.

• In cognitive science, this helps explain the complex mental processes using the familiar framework of computer operations.

Economic landscape.

• Economists describe the state of an economy as a “landscape” to imply its diverse and multifaceted nature.

Cells as factories.

• Cells are frequently compared to factories to help explain how they produce proteins and other essential molecules.

There are many types of metaphors, each serving a unique purpose in communication and understanding. Here are some common types, explained succinctly.

Simple or direct metaphor

In a simple or direct metaphor, one thing is directly equated with another.

• Time is a thief.
• His eyes were icy pools.

Extended metaphor

An extended metaphor is also called a sustained metaphor. It is not just used once but is extended across a passage, a poem, or even an entire work. Here, the initial comparison between two unlike things is stretched and elaborated upon, allowing for multiple attributes or facets of the metaphorical concept to be explored. In the following, there will be two examples of sustained metaphors from famous works.

Roald Dahl’s “Matilda”:

The parents looked upon Matilda in particular as nothing more than a scab. A scab is something you have to put up with until the time comes when you can pick it off and flick it away.

William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”:

But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief…

These famous metaphor examples illustrate how a figure of speech can be extended throughout more verses and sentences, but also across a whole book.

Implied metaphor

Rather than stating the figure of speech directly, an implied metaphor suggests the comparison.

• She blossomed in college.
• The CEO navigated through the meeting.
• John bolted from the room.

Mixed metaphor

A mixed metaphor combines elements of multiple, unrelated metaphors, often creating a confusing or humorous effect. However, without wanting to be funny, using a mixed metaphor may appear awkward or even sabotage your argument.

The test is easy, it’s not rocket surgery.

• “It’s not rocket science” + “It’s not brain surgery”

We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it.

• “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it” + “Don’t burn your bridges”

You’re sailing close to thin ice.

• “You’re sailing too close to the wind” + “You’re on thin ice”

Dead metaphor

These have been used so much that their original impact has been lost, and they are understood as literal expressions. Using these may bore your reader. You should rather take a familiar metaphor and change it unconventionally to create something new and funny.

• Body of an essay.
• Heart of gold.
• Falling in love.

Metaphor synonyms

While it’s a specific term in literary and rhetorical analysis with few exact synonyms , several terms capture aspects of metaphorical language or operate in similar ways. Some of these include:

• Figure of speech

Note: While these terms are related and may overlap in some contexts, they are not strictly synonymous with “metaphor”, which has its distinct definition and usage.

Simile and analogy

While figures of speech are powerful tools for conveying abstract ideas through comparison, not all comparisons or symbolic expressions qualify as metaphors. Understanding what doesn’t count as one can clarify their unique role in language and thought.

Metaphor vs. simile

Both are figures of speech used to make comparisons. They both serve to elucidate ideas, evoke emotions, and provide new perspectives on subjects.

To understand the difference between metaphors and similes, we will list them. The primary difference lies in the way the comparison is made. A metaphor is an explicit comparison without using “like” or “as” and equates two unlike things for rhetorical effect. A simile uses “like” or “as” to make obvious comparisons and acknowledges their inherent differences even as it highlights certain similarities. The comparisons in similes make them easier to differentiate.

• Her smile is like sunshine.
• He’s as busy as a bee.
• The night sky was as dark as coal.

Metaphor vs. analogy

Both metaphors and analogies aim to clarify or explain one thing by comparing it to another. They are both used to shed light on complex or abstract concepts by relating them to something more concrete or familiar.

An analogy is generally more elaborated, often using a set structure to make the comparison more explicit (e.g., “A is to B as C is to D”). Analogies don’t need to imply that the two compared things are identical in all aspects. They rather highlight a specific relationship or aspect that the things share. Metaphors , on the other hand, make a more sweeping, implicit assertion that one thing is another, engaging the imagination more deeply to fill in the gaps.

• Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer.
• Life is like a game of chess.
• The heart is to the body as the engine is to a car.

Metaphors in academic writing

The use of metaphors in academic writing is a topic that warrants careful consideration. While they are commonly associated with creative or literary expression, they also find a home in academic essays . However, their appropriateness can vary depending on the context, the subject, and the academic discipline in question.

Is it appropriate to use them?

The appropriateness of metaphors in academic writing largely depends on the context:

• Clarity and precision: If it serves to clarify a complex idea or concept, then it can be a valuable tool. However, if it introduces ambiguity or misinterpretation, it’s best avoided.
• Audience: Understanding the expectations of your academic audience is crucial. Some disciplines are more accepting of metaphorical language than others.
• Purpose: They can be persuasive, but should not sensationalize or replace rigorous analysis.
• Balance: A well-placed figure of speech can illuminate an idea, but overuse can lead to a lack of clarity or can make the work seem less rigorous.

In summary, while figures of speech can be employed effectively in various academic papers, like dissertations , their use should be carefully considered. Always aim for clarity and ensure that it enhances, not clouds, the primary message of your work.

Are they used in academic writing?

Yes, they are indeed used in academic writing, but their frequency and application can differ significantly across disciplines. In fields like literature, philosophy, and some social sciences, metaphors can be instrumental in conveying complex ideas succinctly and vividly. They can add nuance to analyses and can make the material more engaging for the reader.

In contrast, scientific and technical fields tend to prioritize direct, unambiguous language to convey data and findings in their research papers . Here, the use of figures of speech is generally less common and can sometimes be viewed as imprecise or subjective.

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How to come up with a metaphor

Creating a figure of speech involves both a keen sense of observation and a bit of creative thinking. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a well-crafted metaphor.

• Identify the subject Begin by determining the idea, emotion, or object you want to describe. This will be used for comparison. For instance, if you’re trying to describe love’s complexities, “love” is your subject.
• Understand the characteristics List out the properties, attributes, or feelings associated with your subject. If your subject is “love”, you might think about attributes like “complicated”, “intense”, “unpredictable”, or “comforting”.
• Find a comparison Think of another object or situation that shares some of those characteristics but is different in essence. For “love”, you might choose “a maze”, which is also complicated and unpredictable.
• Eliminate “like” or “as” Remember, this kind of figure of speech makes a direct comparison without using “like” or “as” (those would make it a simile). So instead of saying “Love is like a maze”, you say “Love is a maze”.
• Test for clarity and resonance Ask yourself if it effectively highlights the attributes you want to focus on. Does it add depth to the reader’s understanding of the subject? If the answer is yes, you’ve probably got a strong metaphor.
• Refine and expand (optional) You can further enhance it by adding details or extending it. In the example, you might say, “Love is a maze, full of twists and turns where you can find both treasure and trapdoors.”
• Contextualize Make sure it fits perfectly within the context you’re using it.
• Get feedback Every so often, what is clear to you may not be so for others. It can be helpful to ask a friend or colleague for their opinion.
• Revise as needed Based on feedback and further reflection, make any necessary adjustments.

What does “metaphorically” mean?

The term “metaphorically” refers to the figurative, rather than the literal, interpretation of a word, phrase, or situation. When something is described as happening “metaphorically”, it means that the description is symbolic and not to be understood as actually taking place in a physical or factual manner.

If someone says, “My heart broke when I heard the news”, they are speaking metaphorically. Their heart did not literally break into pieces. This simply says that they felt deep emotional pain or disappointment, which is conveyed more vividly through the metaphor.

Using “metaphorically” allows the speaker or writer to emphasize a point or emotion through imaginative or symbolic language. It offers a nuanced way to express feelings, ideas, or conditions that might be too subtle or complex to describe directly.

What is an example of a metaphor?

An example of a metaphor is: “Time is a thief”.

This suggests that time takes away moments and opportunities, much like a thief would, even though time doesn’t actually “steal” anything.

What is the simple meaning of a metaphor?

A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes one thing as being something else, to highlight a similarity between the two. For example, saying “Life is a journey” means that life, like a journey, has ups and downs, destinations, and challenges. It helps us understand one thing by comparing it directly to another.

What are ten examples of metaphors?

Here are ten commonly used metaphors:

• She is a rock.
• His words were a dagger to my heart.
• Life is a roller coaster.
• The classroom was a zoo.
• My mind is a prison.
• The company is a well-oiled machine.
• Her eyes are stars.

What makes a good metaphor?

It should be clear, insightful, and evocative. It should create an immediate understanding of a complex idea by comparing it to something more familiar or tangible. They add depth and emotional resonance without causing confusion, and they should be relevant to the context in which they are used.

What is an example of a simile and metaphor in a poem?

Simile example: “My love is like a red, red rose” from Robert Burns’ poem “A Red, Red Rose”. This simile compares love to a red rose, using the word “like”.

Metaphor example: “Hope is the thing with feathers” from Emily Dickinson’s poem. This describes hope as a bird to symbolize its uplifting and enduring qualities.

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Using Metaphors in Academic Writing

Have you ever wanted to translate formidable, and sometimes tedious, academic content into one that is easily comprehensible and captivating? Academics are often told that the language of science is formal, precise and descriptive with no space for the abstract. However, using metaphors in your academic writing could be helpful if used to explain complex scientific concepts. Just remember not to be cautious and exercise restraint when using different types of metaphors or it could make your academic writing seem unprofessional.

What is a metaphor?

A metaphor is defined as a figure of speech in which a word or phrase denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. (Merriam-Webster, 2022). Derived from the Greek word ‘metapherein,’ which means ‘to transfer,’ metaphors transfer the meaning of one word to another to encourage a feeling. For example, by writing ‘ All the world’s a stage,’ Shakespeare creates a powerful imagery of ideas through transference. By bringing life to words, metaphors add value to writing and are a great addition to a writer’s toolkit.

Difference between similes and metaphors and analogies

When you’re writing in English, you should know the difference between similes and metaphors and analogies. While these are similar in terms of purpose, i.e., comparing two things, they are different in how they are used. A simile is explicit about the comparison, while a metaphor simply points to the similarities between two things, and an analogy seeks to use comparisons to explain a concept.

This could be confusing, however, there are simple ways to detect the differences between similes and metaphors and analogies. You can identify a simile by looking for the use of words ‘like’ , ‘as’, for example, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates.’ On the other hand, metaphors are more rhetorical and not so literal, for example, ‘The news was music to her ears.’ An analogy is more complex and seeks to point out the similarity in two things to explain a point, for example, ‘Finding the right dress is like finding a needle in a haystack.’

Types of metaphors

There are several different types of metaphors in the English language, here are some of the most common variations.

• Standard metaphor: A standard metaphor directly compares two unrelated items. For instance, by drawing a link between things and feelings, we’ve been able to convey the importance of laughter in this example of a metaphor: Laughter is the best medicine.
• Implied metaphor: This type of metaphor implies comparison without mentioning one of the things being compared. Take this example, where the coach’s voice is implied to be as loud as thunder: “Don’t give up!” thundered the coach from the side lines.
• Visual metaphor: This type of metaphor compares abstract objects or ideas that are difficult to imagine to a visual image that is easily identifiable; providing the former with a pictorial identity. This type of metaphor is most widely used in advertisements. For example, for the phrase ‘ The Earth is melting’ , the visual metaphor used to signal global warming is a melting ice cream.
• Extended metaphor: This type of metaphor extends the comparison throughout an article, document, or stanza. For example, when poet Emily Dickinson wrote “Hope” is the thing with feathers, she used feathers as a metaphor to compare hope to a bird with wings.
• Grammatical metaphors : Also known as nominalization, this type of metaphor rewrites verbs or adjectives as nouns. It’s most commonly used in academic and scientific texts as a way to separate spoken and written language, remove personal pronouns, and write in a concise manner. For instance, ‘ Millions of men, women and children starved to death in the 1943 Bengal Famine as a direct result of Churchill’s policies.’ This can be rephrased as ‘British policies led to the 1943 Bengal Famine, impacting the country’s people and politics for decades.’

Using metaphors in academic writing

Scholars pride themselves on creating research papers that are factually correct and precise, and metaphors may be perceived to detract from this. However, using metaphors may be a great way to explain scientific and technical concepts to readers, who may not know as much about the subject. While metaphors can add to formal academic writing and make it more engaging, it’s important to find a balance. Here are some tips to keep in mind when using metaphors in academic writing:

• Don’t use metaphors as the foundation of your academic content, use them instead to support your argument and drive home a point.
• Choose your metaphors carefully taking into account your primary audience; using figures of speech specific to any one region can introduce confusion instead of clarity.
• Use metaphors wisely and only when needed so not to distract the reader. They should flow naturally and enhance the content rather than detract from the point.

Metaphors are a nifty way to create engaging content even for academic writers. Greek philosopher Aristotle once wrote, “The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor; it is the one thing that cannot be learnt from others.” So get ready to wield that pen and reach for the stars!

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How to Write a Metaphor

Last Updated: March 19, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 727,648 times.

Metaphors are the cold knife in your side, the speed bumps that keep you from picking up writing momentum, the hidden monster lurking in the closet of ... of ... oh, darn it. Metaphors are tough -- no doubt about it -- but if you follow these instructions, they can become the spice in the cuisine that is your written work!

Quick Steps

• Define your topic or object, then brainstorm other things with similar qualities.
• Decide what tone you’d like to set to weed out ideas that don’t fit the mood.
• Write a few sentences comparing the topic to your brainstormed associations.
• Read your sentences aloud and revise them to further refine your comparison.
• Condense your idea into one original, metaphorical sentence.

Understanding Metaphors

• The last line of The Great Gatsby contains a very famous metaphor: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
• The poet Khalil Gibran used many metaphors in his poetry, including this one: “All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind.” [2] X Research source
• William Gibson’s cyberpunk novel Neuromancer opens with the line: “The sky above the port was the color of television, turned to a dead channel.”
• Sylvia Plath’s poem “Cut” uses metaphor to convey a painful experience in a curious tone: What a thrill— My thumb instead of an onion. The top quite gone Except for a sort of hinge Of skin.... A celebration this is. Out of a gap A million soldiers run, Redcoats every one. [3] X Research source

• A simile has two parts: the “tenor” (the thing being described) and the “vehicle” (the thing/s used to describe it). In the simile “the brownie was so overcooked that it tasted like charcoal,” the brownie is the tenor and the charcoal is the vehicle. Unlike metaphors, similes use “as” or “like” to signal their comparisons, and thus they’re usually considered a little weaker in effect.
• A metonymy substitutes the name of one thing for the idea of another that is closely related to it. For example, in many countries the system of royal power invested in a monarch is simply called “the crown,” and in the United States the presidential administration and its authority are often just called “the White House.”
• A synecdoche refers to a larger concept by using a part of that concept, as in the use of the phrase “hired hands” for “laborers” or referring to one’s car as “my wheels.”

• Sustained , or extended/telescoping metaphors span across several phrases or sentences. Their accumulative nature makes them very forceful and vivid. The narrator of Dean Koontz’s novel Seize the Night uses a sustained metaphor to describe his wild imagination: “Bobby Halloway says my imagination is a three-hundred-ring circus. Currently, I was in ring two hundred and ninety-nine, with elephants dancing and clowns cartwheeling and tigers leaping through rings of fire. The time had come to step back, leave the main tent, go buy some popcorn and a Coke, bliss out, cool down.” [6] X Research source
• Implied metaphors are more subtle than simple metaphors. Whereas a simple metaphor might say that a person seems mean, but is really “a cupcake,” an implied metaphor would attribute cupcake-like characteristics to the person: “He can seem mean until you get to know him, and then you find out he’s all gooey and fluffy inside.”
• Dead metaphors are metaphors that have become so common in everyday speech that they’ve lost the power they once had because they’re too familiar to us: “raining cats and dogs,” “heart of stone,” “tie up loose ends,” “red tape.” Clichés, on the other hand, are phrases often used to convey significant meanings. In the case of “red tape,” legal documents used to be bundled with red tape (or ribbon) before being sent away to various offices, so a process getting caught up in “red tape” referred to a document that was still waiting to be examined.

• Catachresis is the formal term for mixed metaphors, and some writers use them intentionally to create confusion, impart a sense of the absurd, or express a powerful or inexpressible emotion. The poem somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond by e.e. cummings uses catachresis to express how it’s impossible to put his love for his beloved into words that make sense: “The voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses -- / nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands….” [9] X Research source
• Catachresis can also be used to demonstrate a character’s confused or contradictory state of mind, as in the famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet : Hamlet wonders “Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them?” Obviously, you can’t really take up arms to fight against a sea, but the mixed-up metaphor helps communicate how troubled Hamlet feels.

• Metaphors can communicate emotion behind actions. For example, the phrase “Julio’s eyes blazed” is more vivid and intense than “Julio’s eyes looked angry.”
• Metaphors can convey immense, complex ideas in a few words. In one version of his long poem Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman tells his readers that they are actually the greatest poetry: “your very flesh shall be a great poem and have the richest fluency not only in its words but in the silent lines of its lips and face.” [10] X Research source
• Metaphors can encourage originality. It’s easy to rely on everyday language to convey ideas: a body is a body, an ocean is an ocean. But metaphors allow you to convey a simple idea with creativity and expressiveness, something that the ancient Germanic people known as Anglo-Saxons were very fond of: “body” becomes “bone-house” and “ocean” becomes “whale-road”.
• Metaphors show off your genius. Or at least, Aristotle says so (and who are we to argue?) in his Poetics : “But the greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor. It is the one thing that cannot be learnt from others; and it is also a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars.”

• If you don’t mind difficult reading, very few writers in English used metaphor as well as the 16th-century poet John Donne: poems like “The Flea” and his Holy Sonnets employ intricate metaphors to describe experiences like love, religious faith, and death. [11] X Research source
• The speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr., are also famous for their skillful use of metaphor and other rhetorical devices. King’s “I have a dream” speech uses metaphor extensively, such as the idea of Black Americans living on “a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity.” [12] X Research source

Writing Your Own Metaphors

• For example, if you want to write a metaphor about "time," try writing down as many characteristics as possible: slow, fast, dark, space, relativity, heavy, elastic, progress, change, man-made, evolution, time-out, timer, race, run.
• Don't self-edit too heavily in this step; your goal is to generate a bunch of information for yourself to use. You can always scrap ideas that don't work later.

• Avoid clichés. As Salvador Dalí said, “The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot.” [15] X Research source The goal of metaphors should be to convey your meaning with impact and originality in a compact package: the single intense bite of sea-salted caramel chocolate gelato vs. a whole bowl of bland vanilla froyo.
• This is a brainstorming activity, so let your imagination run wild! For the "time" example, free-associations could be ideas like: rubber band, space, 2001, abyss, enemy, ticking clock, weight, wait, loss, adaptation, changes, stretching, returning.

• For the "time" example, let's go with "celestial/spiritual" for the mood. Eliminate ideas that don't fit with that mood as you develop your ideas: for the "time" example, you might scratch out enemy, 2001, weight, and ticking clock, as these are all fairly "earthly" ideas.
• Try to keep the nuances of your chosen topic in mind. For example, if you’re comparing the concept of justice to an animal, a “prowling leopard” conveys a very different idea of what you mean by “justice” than an image like a “weary elephant.” Both of these are probably still more apt than using a “newborn kitten,” though.

• For the "time" example, this step could generate a sentence like the following: "Time is the rubber band, shooting me out into the unknown then bringing me back to center." This sentence has taken one of the ideas from Step 2 and has started attributing concrete actions and characteristics to it -- the starting-place of a metaphor.

• In the example sentence generated in Step 4, the basic idea is there, but the words don't have much power behind them. For example, there's very little alliteration, which might be useful to employ if you want to convey a sense of repetition. The idea of the "rubber band" also suggests something or someone firing the rubber band, which detracts from the metaphor's focus on Time performing the action.

• For example, adding in alliteration and providing an action for Time that is more independent could result in a sentence like this: "Time is an endless rollercoaster ride; it stops for no one." Now, the focus is entirely on time, and the alliteration of the repeated r sound adds to the sense of repetition that the metaphor's getting at.

• Using metaphors as verbs can give actions more punch (sometimes literally!): “The news clutched her throat in its iron fist” expresses a more intense feeling than “She felt like she couldn’t breathe.”
• Using metaphors as adjectives and adverbs can vividly characterize objects, people, and concepts in just a few words: “The teacher’s carnivorous pen devoured the student essays and belched up the occasional bloodstained comment” conveys the idea that the teacher’s pen (itself a metonym for the teacher) is tearing these essays apart and eating them, leaving only a mess of blood and guts once it’s finished.
• Using metaphors as prepositional phrases can describe the feel of actions as well the thoughts behind them: “Emily examined her sister’s outfit with a surgeon’s eye” suggests that Emily believes she’s a trained expert in fashion, that she has a meticulous eye for detail, and that she sees her sister’s outfit as a potential disease to be cut off if necessary (perhaps not something that makes her sister happy).
• Using metaphors as appositives (nouns or noun phrases that rename a nearby noun) or modifiers can add literary polish and creativity to your work: “Homer Simpson sidled onward, a yellow-domed pear wearing pants.”

Sample Metaphors

Community Q&A

• personification : association of a non-human (usually inanimate) object with a human characteristic. This is a way of giving depth to a description by bringing in all the lyrical baggage of a term we normally associate with a person. "The intrepid spelunkers entered the mountain's open maw." As you can see, the human characteristic need not be uniquely human, but it often is. "The old familiar chair welcomed her back, as if she had never gone."
• analogy : comparison of two pairs of things, a:b::c:d (e.g. hot is to cold as fire is to ice). Analogy can be used to make a satirical point, as in "My brother says he's trustworthy, but given his track record, my brother is trustworthy like Machiavelli was humanitarian." While not linear, Spenser's 16th century analogy is subtly sublime, "My love is like to ice and I to fire ..."
• allegory : an extended story in which people, things or ideas represent other things, giving the story two meanings, one literal and one symbolic. In an allegory, nearly every figure and object has a meaning. Just think of Animal Farm, an allegory about the Soviet Union wherein farm animals revolt against their masters, form their own egalitarian society, and gradually recreate the very hierarchy that they fought to escape from.
• parable : a story that demonstrates the teller's point or lesson. Famous examples include Aesop's Fables (ex. a mighty lion spares a puny mouse who later frees the lion from a hunter's trap – i.e. even the weak have their strengths).
• Writing is a skill. The more you practice it, the better you get. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Remember that stuff called "grammar"? Well, turns out it has a purpose. Be sure you write correctly so your audience clearly understands you. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphor
• ↑ https://www.macmillandictionaryblog.com/famous-metaphors
• ↑ https://www.internal.org/Sylvia_Plath/Cut
• ↑ https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/classroom/terms.htm
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/types-of-metaphors.html
• ↑ https://literarydevices.net/extended-metaphor/
• ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/mixed-metaphor
• ↑ https://literarydevices.net/catachresis/
• ↑ https://www.whitmanarchive.org/published/LG/1855/whole.html
• ↑ https://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/john-donne#about
• ↑ https://users.wfu.edu/zulick/341/king.html
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/metaphor/
• ↑ https://www.powerpoetry.org/actions/7-tips-creating-poignant-poetic-metaphors
• ↑ https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dialogues_With_Marcel_Duchamp/yPDKXnzgGGcC?hl=en&gbpv=1

About This Article

To write a metaphor, think about what you're trying to describe and the tone you want to create. Next, spend a few minutes brainstorming and write down whatever imaginative descriptions and associations come to mind. Then, write a few sentences comparing your original topic to some of your brainstormed descriptions. Focus on the ideas and imagery that stand out to you, then transform your comparisons into metaphors. Play around with the language and see where your creativity leads you! For tips on understanding what metaphors can and can't do, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Powerful Examples of Similes and Metaphors to Improve Your Writing

Understanding similes, simile definition, examples of similes, tips for using similes, understanding metaphors, metaphor definition, examples of metaphors, tips for using metaphors, applying similes and metaphors in your writing, enhancing description, creating imagery, adding emotion and depth, similes and metaphors in literature, classic literature, modern literature, similes and metaphors in pop culture, movies and tv, advertising.

Similes and metaphors are powerful tools that can help you take your writing to the next level. They allow you to create vivid imagery and evoke emotions in your readers, making your work more engaging and memorable. In this blog, we'll explore simile and metaphor examples, along with tips on how to use them effectively in your writing. Let's dive in!

Similes are a type of figurative language that compare two different things using the words "like" or "as." They help your readers better visualize and understand the ideas you want to convey. Let's start with the basics:

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using the words "like" or "as." This comparison highlights a specific quality or characteristic shared by the two things, making the description more vivid and relatable. For example:

• Her smile was as warm as the sun on a summer day.
• He ran like the wind, leaving everyone else behind.

Similes can add depth and color to your writing, making it more engaging. Here are some more simile examples to inspire you:

• Her eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky.
• He was as stubborn as a mule, refusing to change his mind.
• Their love was as deep as the ocean.
• The baby's laughter was as sweet as the sound of a music box.
• The room was as silent as a graveyard at midnight.

To make the most of similes in your writing, keep these tips in mind:

• Be specific: Choose comparisons that paint a clear and vivid picture for your readers.
• Be relevant: Make sure the simile adds value to your writing and supports the point you're trying to make.
• Avoid clichés: Steer clear of overused similes, like "as busy as a bee" or "as cool as a cucumber." Instead, get creative and come up with your own unique simile and metaphor examples.

Metaphors, like similes, are a form of figurative language that can enrich your writing by creating strong imagery and conveying emotions. However, they differ from similes in one key aspect—metaphors don't use "like" or "as" for comparison. Instead, they directly state that one thing is another. Let's take a closer look:

A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action by equating it with something else, without using "like" or "as." This comparison helps to emphasize a particular quality or characteristic of the object or action. For example:

• Her voice was music to his ears.
• Time is a thief that steals our moments away.

Using metaphors in your writing can create powerful imagery and make your words more memorable. Here are some metaphor examples to spark your creativity:

• All the world's a stage , and we are merely players.
• My thoughts are swirling leaves in the wind of my mind.
• Her heart is a garden blooming with kindness.
• The sun is a golden coin tossed into the sky.
• His words were daggers that pierced her heart.

When incorporating metaphors into your writing, consider these guidelines:

• Be original: Avoid clichéd metaphors that your readers have likely encountered before. Create your own fresh and unique metaphor examples.
• Stay focused: Ensure that your metaphor is relevant to the point you're trying to make and enhances the overall message.
• Keep it simple: While it's tempting to craft complex metaphors, remember that clarity is key. Keep your metaphors straightforward and easy to understand.

Similes and metaphors can add depth, emotion, and vivid imagery to your writing. When used effectively, they can elevate your work and create a lasting impression on your readers. Let's explore some ways to incorporate similes and metaphor examples into your writing:

Both similes and metaphors can help you describe characters, settings, and emotions more vividly. By comparing an object or action to something else, you can create a more striking image in your reader's mind:

• His eyes were as cold as ice when he looked at her. (simile)
• The city was a sleeping giant waiting to be awakened by the first rays of sunlight. (metaphor)

By comparing objects, actions, or emotions to something unexpected, similes and metaphors can paint vivid pictures in your reader's mind. This can enhance the overall reading experience and make your words more memorable:

• The clouds were like cotton candy floating in the sky. (simile)
• Her laughter was a symphony of joy that filled the room. (metaphor)

Similes and metaphors can be powerful tools for expressing emotions and adding depth to your writing. By choosing the right comparisons, you can evoke specific feelings or create a particular mood:

• She felt as if a thousand butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. (simile)
• Grief was a heavy stone that weighed her down. (metaphor)

Remember, the key to successful use of similes and metaphor examples is to be creative, clear, and relevant to the message you want to convey. By incorporating these techniques in your writing, you can create a stronger connection with your readers and leave a lasting impression.

Similes and metaphors have been used by writers throughout history to create memorable, evocative works. Let's look at some examples of similes and metaphors in both classic and modern literature, as well as poetry.

In classic literature, similes and metaphors have been used to create rich descriptions and convey emotions. Here are a few powerful examples:

• In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: "People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for, and they have the right to subject their children to it all."
• In Great Expectations by Charles Dickens: "Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be."
• In Moby Dick by Herman Melville: "The sun hides not the ocean, which is the dark side of this earth, and which is two thirds of this earth."

Modern literature also employs similes and metaphors to create vivid imagery and evoke emotions. Here are some examples:

• In The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: "My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations."
• In The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: "Hope is the only thing stronger than fear."
• In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling: "The castle was a vast maze of ramparts, turrets, and halls."

Poetry often relies heavily on similes and metaphors to create powerful imagery and convey emotions. Here are some examples from famous poets:

• In "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference."
• In "A Red, Red Rose" by Robert Burns: "O my Luve is like a red, red rose / That's newly sprung in June; / O my Luve is like the melody / That's sweetly played in tune."
• In "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" by William Wordsworth: "For oft, when on my couch I lie / In vacant or in pensive mood, / They flash upon that inward eye / Which is the bliss of solitude."

By examining simile and metaphor examples in literature, you can gain inspiration and insight into how these powerful devices can enhance your own writing and create a lasting impact on your readers.

Similes and metaphors aren't just limited to literature—they also play a significant role in popular culture. Let's explore some examples of similes and metaphors in music, movies, TV shows, and advertising to see how these devices add depth and meaning to our everyday entertainment.

Music often uses similes and metaphors to create vivid imagery and convey emotions. Here are a few examples from popular songs:

• In "Firework" by Katy Perry: "Do you ever feel like a plastic bag / Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?"
• In "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston: "If I should stay / I would only be in your way / So I'll go but I know / I'll think of you every step of the way."
• In "Let It Be" by The Beatles: "When the brokenhearted people living in the world agree / There will be an answer, let it be."

Movies and television shows often use similes and metaphors to create memorable scenes and lines. Here are some examples:

• In Forrest Gump : "Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get."
• In The Dark Knight : "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."
• In Game of Thrones : "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."

Advertisers often use similes and metaphors to create catchy slogans and memorable ads. Here are some examples:

• In Nike's slogan: "Just do it."
• In McDonald's slogan: "I'm lovin' it."
• In Apple's "Think Different" campaign: "Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers."

By examining simile and metaphor examples in pop culture, you can see how these powerful devices add depth and meaning to our everyday entertainment, making them more memorable and engaging for audiences.

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Metaphors and Analogies: How to Use Them in Your Academic Life

Certain Experiences in life can't be captured in simple words. Especially if you are a writer trying to connect with your audience, you will need special threads to evoke exact feelings.

There are many literary devices to spark the readers' imagination, and analogies and metaphors are one of that magical arsenal. They enrich your text and give it the exact depth it will need to increase your readers' heartbeat.

Taking a particular characteristic and associating it with the other not only enriches your text's linguistic quality but gives the reader a correct pathway to deeper layers of a writer's psyche.

In this article, we are going to take a good look at the difference between analogy and metaphor and how to use them in your academic writing, and you will find some of the most powerful examples for each. Learn more about this and other vital linguistic tools on our essay writer service website.

What are Metaphors: Understanding the Concept

Let's discuss the metaphors definition. Metaphors are a figure of speech that compares two unrelated concepts or ideas to create a deeper and more profound meaning. They are a powerful tool in academic writing to express abstract concepts using different analogies, which can improve the reader's understanding of complex topics. Metaphors enable writers to paint vivid pictures in the reader's mind by comparing something familiar with an abstract concept that is harder to grasp.

The following are some of the most famous metaphors and their meanings:

• The world is your oyster - the world is full of opportunities just waiting for you to grab them
• Time is money - time is a valuable commodity that must be spent wisely
• A heart of stone - someone who is emotionally cold and unfeeling

Analogies Meaning: Mastering the Essence

Analogies, on the other hand, are a comparison of two concepts or ideas that have some similarity in their features. They are used to clarify complex ideas or to make a new concept more relatable by comparing it to something that is already familiar.

Analogies are often followed by an explanation of how the two concepts are similar, which helps the reader to understand and make connections between seemingly disparate ideas. For example, in academic writing, if you were explaining the function of a cell membrane, you might use an analogy, such as comparing it to a security gate that regulates what enters and exits a building.

Check out these famous analogies examples:

• Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.
• Teaching a child without education is like building a house without a foundation.
• A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.

Benefits of Metaphors and Analogies in Writing

Chances are you are wondering why we use analogies and metaphors in academic writing anyway?

The reason why metaphors are beneficial to writers, especially in the academic field, is that they offer an effective approach to clarifying intricate concepts and enriching comprehension by linking them to more familiar ideas. Through the use of relatable frames of reference, these figures of speech help authors communicate complicated notions in an appealing and comprehensible way.

Additionally, analogies and metaphors are a way of artistic expression. They bring creativity and imagination to your writing, making it engaging and memorable for your readers. Beautiful words connect with readers on a deeper emotional level, allowing them to better retain and appreciate the information being presented. Such linguistic devices allow readers to open doors for imagination and create visual images in their minds, creating a more individualized experience.

However, one must be mindful not to plagiarize famous analogies and always use original ideas or appropriately cite sources when necessary. Overall, metaphors and analogies add depth and beauty to write-ups, making them memorable for years to come.

Understanding the Difference Between Analogy and Metaphor

While metaphors and analogies serve the similar purpose of clarifying otherwise complex ideas, they are not quite the same. Follow the article and learn how they differ from each other.

One way to differentiate between analogies and metaphors is through the use of 'as' and 'like.' Analogies make an explicit comparison using these words, while metaphors imply a comparison without any overt indication.

There is an obvious difference between their structure. An analogy has two parts; the primary subject, which is unfamiliar, and a secondary subject which is familiar to the reader. For example, 'Life is like a box of chocolates.' The two subjects are compared, highlighting their similarities in order to explain an entire concept.

On the other hand, a metaphor describes an object or idea by referring to something else that is not literally applicable but shares some common features. For example, 'He drowned in a sea of grief.'

The structural difference also defines the difference in their usage. Analogies are often used in academic writing where hard concepts need to be aligned with an easier and more familiar concept. This assists the reader in comprehending complex ideas more effortlessly. Metaphors, on the other hand, are more often used in creative writing or literature. They bring depth and nuance to language, allowing for abstract ideas to be communicated in a more engaging and imaginative way.

Keep reading and discover examples of metaphors and analogies in both academic and creative writing. While you are at it, our expert writers are ready to provide custom essays and papers which incorporate these literary devices in a seamless and effective way.

Using Famous Analogies Can Raise Plagiarism Concerns!

To avoid the trouble, use our online plagiarism checker and be sure that your work is original before submitting it.

Analogies and Metaphors Examples

There were a few analogies and metaphors examples mentioned along the way, but let's explore a few more to truly understand their power. Below you will find the list of metaphors and analogies, and you will never mistake one for the other again.

• Love is like a rose, beautiful but with thorns.
• The human body is like a machine, with many intricate parts working together in harmony.
• The structure of an atom is similar to a miniature solar system, with electrons orbiting around the nucleus.
• A computer's motherboard is like a city's central system, coordinating and communicating all functions.
• The brain is like a muscle that needs constant exercise to function at its best.
• Studying for exams is like training for a marathon; it requires endurance and preparation.
• Explaining a complex scientific concept is like explaining a foreign language to someone who doesn't speak it.
• A successful team is like a well-oiled machine, with each member playing a crucial role.
• Learning a new skill is like planting a seed; it requires nurturing and patience to see growth.
• Navigating through life is like sailing a ship with unpredictable currents and changing winds.
• Life is a journey with many twists and turns along the way
• The world's a stage, and we are all mere players.
• Her eyes were pools of sorrow, reflecting the pain she felt.
• Time is a thief, stealing away moments we can never recapture.
• Love is a flame, burning brightly but at risk of being extinguished.
• His words were daggers piercing through my heart.
• She had a heart of stone, unable to feel empathy or compassion.
• The city was a jungle, teeming with life and activity.
• Hope is a beacon, guiding us through the darkest of times.
• His anger was a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.

How to Use Metaphors and Analogies in Writing: Helpful Tips

If you want your readers to have a memorable and engaging experience, you should give them some level of autonomy within your own text. Metaphors and analogies are powerful tools to let your audience do their personal interpretation and logical conclusion while still guiding them in the right direction.

First, learn about your audience and their level of familiarity with the topic you're writing about. Incorporate metaphors and analogies with familiar references. Remember, literary devices should cleverly explain complex concepts. To achieve the goal, remain coherent with the theme of the paper. But be careful not to overuse metaphors or analogies, as too much of a good thing can make your writing feel overloaded.

Use figurative language to evoke visual imagery and breathe life into your paper. Multiple metaphors can turn your paper into a movie. Visualizing ideas will help readers better understand and retain the information.

In conclusion, anytime is a great time to extend your text's impact by adding a well-chosen metaphor or analogy. But perfection is on the border of good and bad, so keep in mind to remain coherent with the theme and not overuse any literary device.

Metaphors: Unveiling Their Cultural Significance

Metaphors are not limited to just academic writing but can also be found in various forms of culture, such as art, music, film, and television. Metaphors have been a popular element in creative expression for centuries and continue to play a significant role in modern-day culture. For instance, metaphors can help artists convey complex emotions through their music or paintings.

Metaphors are often like time capsules, reflecting the cultural and societal values of a particular era. They shelter the prevailing beliefs, ideals, and philosophies of their time - from the pharaohs of ancient Egypt to modern-day pop culture.

Metaphors often frame our perception of the world and can shape our understanding of our surroundings. Certain words can take on new meanings when used metaphorically in certain cultural contexts and can assimilate to the phenomenon it is often compared to.

Here you can find a list of literature and poems with metaphors:

• William Shakespeare loved using metaphors, and here's one from his infamous Macbeth: 'It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.'
• Victor Hugo offers a timeless metaphor in Les Misérables: 'She is a rose, delicate and beautiful, but with thorns to protect her.'
• Robert Frost reminds us of his genius in the poem The Road Not Traveled: 'The road less traveled.'

Movies also contain a wide range of English metaphors:

• A famous metaphor from Toy Story: 'There's a snake in my boot!'
• A metaphor from the famous movie Silver Lining Playbook: 'Life is a game, and true love is a trophy.'
• An all-encompassing and iconic metaphor from the movie Star Wars: 'Fear is the path to the dark side.'

Don't forget about famous songs with beautiful metaphors!

• Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind uses a powerful metaphor when he asks: 'How many roads must a man walk down?'
• A metaphor from Johnny Cash's song Ring of Fire: 'Love is a burning thing, and it makes a fiery ring.'
• Bonnie Tyler's famous lyrics from Total Eclipse of the Heart make a great metaphor: 'Love is a mystery, everyone must stand alone.'

Keep reading the article to find out how to write an essay with the effective use of metaphors in academic writing.

Exploring Types of Metaphors

There is a wide variety of metaphors used in academic writing, literature, music, and film. Different types of metaphors can be used to convey different meanings and create a specific impact or evoke a vivid image.

Some common types of metaphors include similes / simple metaphors, implicit metaphors, explicit metaphors, extended metaphors, mixed metaphors, and dead metaphors. Let's take a closer look at some of these types.

Simple metaphors or similes highlight the similarity between two things using 'like' or 'as.' For example, 'Her eyes were as bright as the stars.'

Implicit metaphors do not make a direct comparison. Instead, they imply the similarity between the two concepts. An example of an implicit metaphor is 'Her words cut deep,' where the similarity between words and a knife is implied. Good metaphors are often implicit since they require the reader to use their own understanding and imagination to understand the comparison being made.

Explicit metaphors are straightforward, making a clear comparison between two things. For instance, 'He is a shining star.'

An extended metaphor, on the other hand, stretches the comparison throughout an entire literary work or section of a text. This type of metaphor allows the writer to create a more complex and elaborate comparison, enhancing the reader's understanding of the subject.

Mixed metaphors combine two or more unrelated metaphors, often leading to confusion and lack of clarity. If you are not an expert on the subject, try to avoid using confusing literary devices.

Dead metaphors are another danger. These are metaphors that have been overused to the extent that they have lost their original impact, becoming clichés and not being able to evoke original visual images.

In academic writing, metaphors create a powerful impact on the reader, adding color and depth to everyday language. However, they need to be well-placed and intentional. Using an inappropriate or irrelevant metaphor may confuse readers and distract them from the main message. If you want to avoid trouble, pay for essay writing service that can help you use metaphors effectively in your academic writing.

Exploring Types of Analogies

Like metaphors, analogies are divided into several categories. Some of the common types include literal analogies, figurative analogies, descriptive analogies, causal analogies, and false/dubious analogies. In academic writing, analogies are useful for explaining complex ideas or phenomena in a way that is easy to understand.

Literal analogies are direct comparisons of two things with similar characteristics or features. For instance, 'The brain is like a computer.'

Figurative analogies, on the other hand, compare two unrelated things to highlight a particular characteristic. For example, 'The mind is a garden that needs to be tended.'

Descriptive analogies focus on the detailed similarities between two things, even if they are not immediately apparent. For example, 'The relationship between a supervisor and an employee is like that of a coach and a player, where the coach guides the player to perform at their best.'

Causal analogies are used to explain the relationship between a cause and an effect. For instance, 'The increase in global temperatures is like a fever caused by environmental pollution.'

Finally, false/dubious analogies are comparisons that suggest a similarity between two things that actually have little in common. For example, 'Getting a college degree is like winning the lottery.'

If you are trying to explain a foreign concept to an audience that may not be familiar with it, analogies can help create a bridge and make the concept more relatable. However, coming up with a perfect analogy takes a lot of time. If you are looking for ways on how to write an essay fast , explore our blog and learn even more.

If you want your academic papers to stand out and be engaging for the reader, using metaphors and analogies can be a powerful tool. Now that you know the difference between analogy and metaphor, you can use them wisely to create a bridge between complex ideas and your audience.

Explore our blog for more information on different writing techniques, and check out our essay writing service for more help on crafting the perfect papers.

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Related Articles

• Literary Terms

When & How to Write a Metaphor

• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Write a Metaphor

How to Write a Metaphor

A. avoid clichés.

Very often, you’ll write metaphors without realizing it. Since certain metaphors are very common, many of them have become  clichéd , or overused.

Normal Sentence:

My day was emotionally jolting.

With Cliché Metaphor:

My day was an emotional roller-coaster .

Here and there, clichés are harmless, but they can start to add up and become repetitive and unoriginal if you use too many of them. Don’t worry about this as long as you use the clichés sparingly.

Here are a few more examples of metaphors that have become clichés:

• Ticking time bomb
• Tip of the iceberg
• Slippery slope
• Going the extra mile
• Icy personality
• Turning in one’s grave
• About to explode (from anger)

B. Tips on Forming Creative Metaphors

The real trick, though, is to write original metaphors that really stick in the reader’s mind, and there’s no hard-and-fast rule for accomplishing this. It takes a lot of creativity to write a good metaphor!

One way to practice is to start with the phrase “life is…and I am…” By starting with one metaphor (for life) and extending it to yourself, you can practice thinking systematically about the meanings of your metaphors, while at the same time working on your creative skills.

Life is a canvas, and I am a painter.

Life is a canvas, and I am the paint.

Life is an hourglass, and I am a single grain of sand.

Life is an hourglass, and I am about to turn it over once more.

Life is a classroom, and I am sitting in the front row.

Life is a classroom, and I am sitting in the back row.

Notice how different these statements are, and how different they all are from a cliché.

C. Avoid mixed metaphors

This is an important point for using metaphors in your writing – once you’ve decided on a metaphor, you have to see it through  for it to have the strongest effect. Don’t just forget about it and pick up a new metaphor immediately! Too many different metaphors in your writing can make it confusing or too over the top.

A mixed metaphor combines one or more metaphors in a sentence in a way that doesn’t really make sense. For example, imagine if you tried to encourage your staff to excel with a project by saying “let’s get back out on the court and hit this one out of the park!” You’d be combining a basketball metaphor with a baseball metaphor—really, you should say “let’s get back out on the field and hit this one out of the park!”

Here’s an example of a triple mixed metaphor:

Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat. I see him floating in the air. But mark me, sir, I will nip him in the bud.   ( Garner’s Modern American Usage , Bryan A. Garner)

First, we have the common metaphor “I smell a rat,” to describe a person committing a betrayal. But then Garner uses an unrelated metaphor to describe him as “floating,” finally concluding with a metaphor that refers to plants.

When to Use Metaphor

Strictly speaking, metaphors should be used only in creative writing since they rely on figurative language (not literal meaning) and are therefore untrue statements. Metaphors are also often vague and may sound too colloquial for formal work. Sometimes a subtle metaphor will slip into  formal work(especially in the form of common phrases and clichés). This is OK now and then, but it’s best to avoid it if possible.

For example, if you were writing a paper on Abraham Lincoln, it would sound pretty strange to say he had a “heart of gold.” First of all, it’s a cliché. Second, it’s not literally true. And third, it doesn’t really tell you much about Lincoln. So, it’s better to say something more specific and concrete, like “For Lincoln, compassion was one of the most important moral virtues.”

There is a rhetorical device though (that people often confuse with metaphor), that you’ll see in formal writing all the time. This is simile . Similes explicitly state that two things are alike, rather than simply equating them as a metaphor does. This can be a very useful way to explain complex ideas:

With Simile:

“The magnetosphere works like a big tinted window, protecting the earth from the sun’s harmful rays while still letting some light and heat pass through.”

With Metaphor:

“The magnetosphere is a big tinted window…”

Using metaphor, in this case, makes the sentence untrue. But the simile is a helpful tool for clarifying the writer’s point.

None of this, of course, applies to creative writing. In creative writing, metaphors are extremely effective – as long as you don’t mix them!

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

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Using Metaphors in Creative Writing

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What is a metaphor?

The term metaphor meant in Greek "carry something across" or "transfer," which suggests many of the more elaborate definitions below:

Related terms

Why use metaphors.

People get so accustomed to using the same words and phrases over and over, and always in the same ways, that they no longer know what they mean. Creative writers have the power to make the ordinary strange and the strange ordinary, making life interesting again.

When readers or listeners encounter a phrase or word that cannot be interpreted literally, they have to think—or rather, they are given the pleasure of interpretation. If you write "I am frustrated" or "The air was cold" you give your readers nothing to do—they say "so what?" On the other hand, if you say, "My ambition was Hiroshima, after the bombing," your readers can think about and choose from many possible meanings.

By writing "my dorm is a prison," you suggest to your readers that you feel as though you were placed in solitary, you are fed lousy food, you are deprived of all of life's great pleasures, your room is poorly lit and cramped—and a hundred other things, that, if you tried to say them all, would probably take several pages.

There are many gaps in language. When a child looks at the sky and sees a star but does not know the word "star," she is forced to say, "Mommy, look at the lamp in the sky!" Similarly, when computer software developers created boxes on the screen as a user interface, they needed a new language; the result was windows. In your poems, you will often be trying to write about subjects, feelings, etc., so complex that you have no choice but to use metaphors.

Or so says Aristotle in Poetics: "[T]he greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor." It is "a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars."

Creative ways to use metaphors

Most books give rather boring examples of metaphors such as my father is a bear or the librarian was a beast. However, in your poetry (and fiction for that matter) you can do much more than say X is Y, like an algebraic formula. Definitely play with extended metaphors (see above) and experiment with some of the following, using metaphors...

What Is Writing Like?

Explaining the Writing Experience Through Similes and Metaphors

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

Writing is like . . . building a house, pulling teeth, pounding a wall, riding a wild horse, conducting an exorcism, throwing a lump of clay on a potter's wheel, performing surgery on yourself without anesthesia.

When asked to discuss the experience of writing , authors often respond with figurative comparisons. That's not too surprising. After all, metaphors and similes are the intellectual tools of the serious writer, ways of examining and imagining experiences as well as describing them.

Here are 20 figurative explanations that aptly convey the  writing experience  from famous authors.

• Bridge Building I wanted to try to build a bridge of words between me and that world outside, that world that was so distant and elusive that it seemed unreal. (Richard Wright, American Hunger , 1975)
• Road Building The maker of a sentence . . . launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed by those who hear him with something of wild, creative delight. (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals , December 19, 1834)
• Exploring Writing is like exploring. . . . As an explorer makes maps of the country he has explored, so a writer's works are maps of the country he has explored. (Lawrence Osgood, quoted in Axelrod & Cooper's Concise Guide to Writing , 2006)
• Giving Away Loaves and Fishes Writing is like giving away the few loaves and fishes one has, trusting that they will multiply in the giving. Once we dare to "give away" on paper the few thoughts that come to us, we start discovering how much is hidden underneath these thoughts and gradually come in touch with our own riches. (Henri Nouwen, Seeds of Hope: A Henri Nouwen Reader , 1997)
• Opening a Closet Writing is like opening the closet you haven't cleared out in years. You are looking for the ice skates but find the Halloween costumes. Don't start trying on all the costumes right now. You need the ice skates. So find the ice skates. You can go back later and try on all the Halloween costumes. (Michele Weldon, Writing to Save Your Life , 2001)
• Pounding a Wall Sometimes writing is difficult. Sometimes writing is like pounding a brick wall with a ball-peen hammer in the hope that the barricade will evolve into a revolving door. (Chuck Klosterman, Eating the Dinosaur , 2009)
• Woodworking Writing something is almost as hard as making a table. With both you are working with reality, a material just as hard as wood. Both are full of tricks and techniques. Basically, very little magic and a lot of hard work are involved. (Gabriel García Márquez, The Paris Review Interviews , 1982)
• Building a House It is helpful to me to pretend that writing is like building a house. I like to go out and watch real building projects and study the faces of the carpenters and masons as they add board after board and brick after brick. It reminds me of how hard it is to do anything really worth doing. (Ellen Gilchrist, Falling Through Space , 1987)
• Mining Writing is to descend like a miner to the depths of the mine with a lamp on your forehead, a light whose dubious brightness falsifies everything, whose wick is in permanent danger of explosion, whose blinking illumination in the coal dust exhausts and corrodes your eyes. (Blaise Cendrars, Selected Poems , 1979)
• Laying Pipe What civilians do not understand--and to a writer, anyone not a writer is a civilian--is that writing is manual labor of the mind: a job, like laying pipe. (John Gregory Dunne, "Laying Pipe," 1986)
• Smoothing Ripples [W]riting is like trying to smooth ripples from water with one's hand--the more I try, the more disturbed things get. (Kij Johnson, The Fox Woman , 2000)
• Renewing a Well Writing is like renewing a dried well: at the bottom, mud, muck, dead birds. You clean it out well and leave room for water to spring up again and ascend almost up to the brim so clean that even the children look at their reflections in it. (Luz Pichel, "Pieces of Letters From My Bedroom." Writing Bonds: Irish and Galician Contemporary Women Poets , 2009)
• Surfing Delay is natural to a writer. He is like a surfer--he bides his time, waits for the perfect wave on which to ride in. Delay is instinctive with him. He waits for the surge (of emotion? of strength? of courage?) that will carry him along. (E.B. White, The Paris Review Interviews , 1969)
• Surfing and Grace Writing a book is a bit like surfing. . . . Most of the time you're waiting. And it's quite pleasant, sitting in the water waiting. But you are expecting that the result of a storm over the horizon, in another time zone, usually, days old, will radiate out in the form of waves. And eventually, when they show up, you turn around and ride that energy to the shore. It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace. As a writer, you roll up to the desk every day, and then you sit there, waiting, in the hope that something will come over the horizon. And then you turn around and ride it, in the form of a story. (Tim Winton, interviewed by Aida Edemariam. The Guardian , June 28, 2008)
• Swimming Under Water All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath. (F. Scott Fitzgerald, in a letter to his daughter, Scottie)
• Hunting Writing is like hunting. There are brutally cold afternoons with nothing in sight, only the wind and your breaking heart. Then the moment when you bag something big. The entire process is beyond intoxicating. (Kate Braverman, quoted by Sol Stein in Stein on Writing , 1995)
• Pulling the Trigger of a Gun Writing is like pulling the trigger of a gun; if you are not loaded, nothing happens. (attributed to Henry Seidel Canby)
• Riding Writing is like trying to ride a horse which is constantly changing beneath you, Proteus changing while you hang on to him. You have to hang on for dear life, but not hang on so hard that he can't change and finally tell you the truth. (Peter Elbow, Writing Without Teachers , 2nd ed., 1998)
• Driving Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. (attributed to E.L. Doctorow)
• Walking Then we'd revise , make the words walk slowly on the slippery trail. (Judith Small, "Body of Work." The New Yorker , July 8, 1991)
• The Power and Pleasure of Metaphor
• Definition and Examples of Overwriting
• What E.B. White Has to Say About Writing
• Sports Vocabulary for English Learners
• Reasons Writers Write
• 20 Quotes on the Nature of Writing
• 40 Topics to Help With Descriptive Writing Assignments
• Parallelism in Writing for English Learners
• Mad Scientist Halloween Costumes
• The Value of Analogies in Writing and Speech
• Definition, Examples, and Observations on Writing
• What Does It Mean to Be a Writer?
• 49 Unforgettable F. Scott Fitzgerald Quotes
• Halloween Lesson Plan Ideas
• 35 Zora Neale Hurston Quotes
• The Title in Composition

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10 The Building Metaphor

Building the House

Writing an essay is a lot like building a house. In fact, it really IS building a house. As essay is a metaphor for a certain kind of mental construction. The steps are essential and must be engaged thoroughly, methodically, and without rushing through to the end.

Procrastination is a killer. Taking short cuts will diminish the quality of the final product. And the strength of each step is largely dependent on the strength of the ones before it. Also, each choice will contribute to the strength and/or weaknesses of the steps that come after.

An essay, like a house, is an integrated, interdependent set of complementary technologies meant to produce reliable results if followed properly. There is room for creativity and individual expression, but only after the basic elements of building the structure are secure:

Land Prep (Research & Free Writing)

The first step in the construction process is getting the land ready. This includes clearing the area, digging trenches and making sure utilities are installed. In essay writing, this is the research process. This is when we brainstorm, free write, and gather research on topics of interest as we lay the groundwork for what comes next: our thesis.  

The Footings & Foundation (Thesis)

Building a good foundation requires a lot more than digging a hole and pouring some concrete into forms. It must be tailored to its site like a custom suit, taking into account soil conditions, water tables, even the quality of the backfill. And it is the very structure upon which the rest of the house is built. Absolutely nothing that comes next will matter if the foundation isn’t solid. Similarly, your thesis is the foundation of your essay. Like the foundation, it needs to be as specific for the particular project as possible; and also like the foundation, it will lay the groundwork for absolutely everything that comes next.

Framing (Pattern of Development)

In the framing step, the “bones” of the home start to come together. Framing includes the floor joists, subfloors, and studs that form the walls and roof trusses. Here is where the very shape of the house begins to take shape. In writing, this is the pattern of development. It is where you decide how your body paragraphs are going to flow one to the next. This larger pattern will determine what spaces are for what functions in the house. In the essay, this is where we decide the larger pattern and shape our essay will take. Thus determining the purpose of the various parts.

Plumbing & Electrical (Paragraphs)

Once the home is framed, subcontractors will start installing the home’s major systems, including plumbing pipes, electrical wiring and heating and cooling ducts. These are the systems that move air, water and electricity through the home and make everything flow. In an essay, these are your sentences and paragraphs. If these are not constructed properly, much wasted energy will be spent trying to extract the big ideas from an essay. Conversely, when they are built correctly, ideas can flow freely throughout the various elements of the essay and are delivered to the reader with efficiency and clarity.

Interior &  Exterior  Finishes (Transitions, Introduction & Conclusion)

In this step, most of the home’s interior features will be added. This includes doors, baseboards, casings, window sills, kitchen counters, etc.  Driveways, walkways, patios and final grading to direct water away from home will all be completed. Landscaping and exterior decorating happen during this step too. In essay writing, this is where we focus on things like writing strong introductions and conclusions and smooth transitions. These are the things that make it easier for a reader to enter and move through the space. The first things noticed and thus, often, the most important as far as creating first and last impressions.

Final Inspection & Walkthrough (Formatting & Editing) 

Once construction is complete, a final inspection will be conducted by a local building official. Before you move in, you’ll want to do a final walkthrough with your builder to identify a list items that need to be repaired for the job to be considered complete. In essay writing, this is where we do our editing and formatting. Remember there are various levels of editing. Some may require a good deal of reworking of the material and others involve smaller issues like punctuation and syntax errors. Similarly, formatting issues can run the gamut from major to minor as well. Don’t skimp on this step. Just like with building house, why bother taking the time to develop all of the other stages correctly just to cut corners on the installation of light sockets and door knobs.? Get another set of eyes on it. That’s where the inspectors (writing tutors) come in.

Final Thoughts 

Remember that writing is a process . We keep saying this but that is for a reason: it’s true. When we realize the importance of each of the steps in the quality and coherence of the final product, it helps us to not get lost in the seemingly endless details of the process. We are working towards building something meaningful and lasting. A structure that can house our ideas (and the relevant, reliable and authoritative ideas of others) in a well-crafted, engaging, and leak-proof domicile to which all who are curious and willing may enter to explore.

Also, the process is one that we must engage thoroughly over time as we move towards building more solid foundations for our ideas and our thinking. It is AFTER the designs and blueprints have been finalized and your permits have been filed and approved that construction (writing) actually BEGINS on the project. Research, outlining, editing, and revision are as essential to the process as the writing itself. Skipping steps here inevitably will compromise the quality of the final product.

The process matters because you matter. Because we matter. And our ideas deserve the best built delivery systems we can manage. Be patient with yourself but do not shy away from the disciplined side of writing. Success awaits on the other side.

The Writing Process Copyright © 2020 by Andrew Gurevich is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Using Grammatical Metaphors in Academic Writing

Most people are familiar with literary metaphors such as "the smell of success" or "laughter is the best medicine." Even if you didn't learn about metaphors in sixth grade English class, you probably picked up the concept from conversation or while reading well-written books. In contrast to the literary metaphor, most people are not familiar with the term grammatical metaphor. If you frequently write academic papers, keep reading to learn all about grammatical metaphors and find out if it can help you improve your academic writing.

What is a grammatical metaphor?

Linguist Michael Halliday coined the term grammatical metaphor in 1985 in his book An Introduction to Functional Grammar and continued expanding upon the notion for the next 30 years. According to The Conversation , Halliday's concept of grammatical metaphor is when ideas that are expressed in one grammatical form (such as verbs) are expressed in another grammatical form (such as nouns). As such, there is a variation in the expression of a given meaning.

Grammatical metaphors transform a word's part of speech, which can make it easier to connect multiple clauses without overcomplicating a sentence. Grammatical metaphors can be particularly useful in academic writing if you need to remove personal pronouns. Although grammatical metaphors can transform many different parts of speech, they most often create nouns out of verbs and adjectives. In this sense, grammatical metaphors are basically the same as nominalizations. According to the Purdue Owl , Nominalizations are nouns that are created from adjectives (words that describe nouns) or verbs (action words). For example, 'interference' is a nominalization of 'interfere,' 'decision' is a nominalization of 'decide,' and 'argument' is a nominalization of 'argue.'

Consider the following example, which uses a personal pronoun "I" with the verb "concluded:"

I concluded that…

To create a grammatical metaphor and remove the personal pronoun from the sentence, you could change concluded from a past-tense verb to a noun:

The conclusion was reached…

This grammatical metaphor transformed the verb "conclude" to the noun "conclusion" and removed the researcher from the sentence so the sentence is more objective.

When to use grammatical metaphors

Whether you will need to use grammatical metaphors in your academic writing or not will most likely depend on the style guide you are following. Under the current guidelines, grammatical metaphors will be most useful for researchers writing in MLA format , since it is the only one of the main three citation styles that prohibits personal pronouns. There was a time when all academic writing, regardless of the style guide, expected researchers to write without using personal pronouns, but those standards have changed over time. Keep in mind that many publications have their own style and format expectations, so make sure to check the style guidelines before you submit your academic paper to a publication.

Since grammatical metaphors turn verbs into nouns, they tend to remove the subject of the sentence and make sentences passive, so they can make it difficult to discern who is doing the action. However, this is often the goal in formal academic writing: If you need to write a clinical account of an experiment or analyze your research study without using personal pronouns, you will most likely be using grammatical metaphors.

Proponents of grammatical metaphors in academic writing argue that grammatical metaphors make it possible to connect multiple clauses without complicating a sentence with excessive punctuation or multiple conjunctions. For example, consider the differences in the following sentences:

He advanced to the next round, so another place on the team became available.

His advancement to the next round resulted in an additional spot on the team.

The second sentence uses grammatical metaphor to transform the past tense verb "advanced" to the noun "advancement." Doing so made the sentence a simpler clause, so a writer could attach another clause with a grammatical metaphor to create a complex sentence that conveyed the same information that it might take two to three sentences to write in the original style. Both versions of the sentence use 14 words, so the grammatical metaphor did not reduce word count (as I'll discuss later, it often increases word count), but a well-worded grammatical metaphor will most likely enable you to express more complex ideas within one sentence.

Consider the following example, which shows how grammatical metaphors can express your ideas in fewer words while simplifying a sentence:

When children go to school (clause one), they are exposed to new ideas (clause 2) and discover new ways of thinking (clause three).

Education expands children's minds.

By using a grammatical metaphor, I condensed the three clauses in the original sentence to one simple clause. However, it is important to note that in doing so, I basically created a summary of the original sentence and omitted the specific details and explanations that led me to that statement. This can be extremely effective and beneficial in academic writing when you need to express findings and conclusions without explaining every detail of how you arrived at those findings. However, since grammatical metaphors often omit the details that led to a conclusion, if you rely too heavily on grammatical metaphors, your readers might not be able to deduce how you arrived at your conclusion.

How to add grammatical metaphors into your paper

If you are writing in MLA format and need to find creative ways to remove personal pronouns from your academic paper, start by identifying the sentences with personal pronouns. To create grammatical metaphors within those sentences, analyze the sentence's nouns and verbs. When you remove the current noun (presumably I, me, or we) from the sentence, does any other word become the focal point of the sentence?

According to Purdue Owl , nominalization or grammatical metaphors are most useful When you are making a general statement that focuses more on the idea than the actual actors in the sentence. Of course, this notion is particularly applicable in academic writing, because you want readers to focus on your research or findings, not on you or the people who are conducting the research or finding those findings.

To turn most (but not all) verbs into nouns, you will most likely use the root of the verb and add the ending -ion, -ance or -ment. In our previous examples, "advanced" became "advancement" and "concluded" became" conclusion." Other examples include changing the verb "assume" to the noun "assumption" or transforming the verb "collect" to the noun "collection." If this process sounds tedious or confusing, the Purdue Owl features a very handy chart with frequently used verbs and their nominalized forms. You can consult their chart and then use the "find/replace" feature in your document to identify instances in which you used a verb that you could easily nominalize.

The downsides of grammatical metaphors

I love a good literary metaphor, but I have to admit that I often end up changing grammatical metaphors when I encounter them in editing projects. I've found that when writers use too many grammatical metaphors, the paper becomes hard to understand. If you are following APA style , which most of the sciences and social sciences adhere to, you should keep grammatical metaphors to an absolute minimum. APA style now prefers that researchers use personal pronouns and avoid writing passive sentences. If you nominalize verbs throughout your paper, you will most likely be writing a paper in mostly passive voice, which violates APA guidelines.

Some linguists argue that grammatical metaphors express ideas in fewer words, as shown in the "Education expands children's minds" example. Expressing your ideas in fewer words can be quite beneficial when you are trying to omit words to fulfill a word count. However, I have found that grammatical metaphors often add to word count: Since grammatical metaphors remove the active subject and make the sentence passive, grammatical metaphors often increase your word count, even if they minimize the complexity of your sentences. Therefore, if you are facing restrictive word count limitations, you should probably avoid using any grammatical metaphors.

Another word of caution regarding grammatical metaphors: Don't overdo it. If you fill your paper with grammatical metaphors, you risk over summarizing your findings or trying to convey so much information in each sentence that your reader ends up feeling uncertain of what you are even trying to express. Therefore, be selective in your use of grammatical metaphors. Whenever possible, try to make the verb in your sentence the primary action with the subject of the sentence performing that action. If you are writing in MLA format and you're struggling to remove personal pronouns, consider using "the researcher(s)" or "the author(s)" instead of I and we.

If you are in the midst of a writing a difficult academic paper, I hope this discussion of grammatical metaphors inspires you and provides some alternate ways to present your ideas. Grammatical metaphors can enhance your academic writing when done right, but just make sure to provide enough clear information between your grammatical metaphors so readers will be able to understand your process.

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How to Develop a Personalized Metaphor for Your Applications

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Developing a Theme for Your Application

When you’re applying to competitive colleges, you need something that sets you apart from other applicants. This might be a special skill, an interesting characteristic, a unique experience, or even a circumstance beyond your control. One way to express this is through a personal metaphor in your essay. If you can come up with a defining metaphor that manifests throughout your application, you’ll be able to express your character more clearly and give colleges a better sense of who you are. This can tie your personal qualities and accomplishments together in a way that is more likely to resonate with admissions committees. Read on to learn how you can come up with a personalized metaphor for your essays that will set you apart.

How Can You Use a Metaphor in Your Essays

A metaphor is a comparison between two unlike things, tying something—an experience, a person, a thing, a place—to something else. At first glance, the comparison might seem unrelated but when the two ideas are juxtaposed, a new meaning emerges. Unlike a simile, your description doesn’t use “like” or “as,” so the comparison is more implicit. You might also use an analogy, which is similar to a metaphor in some respects. An analogy is another type of comparison, but instead of demonstrating how two things are completely similar, it highlights how two particular characteristics of those things are comparable, and often does use “like” or “as”. “I’m as tired as the day is long” is an example of an analogy, because rather than totally comparing oneself to the day, the speaker is focusing on one particular characteristic in each thing being compared—being tired and the length of the day.

In a metaphor, the comparison becomes a symbol to represent a larger experience or circumstance. Metaphors are commonly used as literary devices. For instance, Shakespeare wrote in As You Like It : “All the world’s a stage / And all the men and women merely players.” This is a quintessential example of a double metaphor, in which the stage represents the world, and players represent all the people—the implicit idea being that life is really a performance.

A metaphor can be a strong device to use in your college essays, but you’ll need to keep a few important considerations in mind. You’ll need to choose something unique to stand out, and describe it well. Use imagery and other rhetorical devices to frame your metaphor. Be descriptive. Also remember that admissions committees read many, many essays. While your experience doesn’t have to be completely unique, the way you describe it does. And you certainly don’t want to write an essay with overused clichés. Colleges have seen hundreds of essays describe how winning a sports game is like conquering life obstacles. Don’t be that person!

Consistency and cohesiveness are also important here. Choose something and stick to it. Don’t try to pack too much into a single thought, because then the metaphor might become too much of a leap. “I’m like bird, because I’m quick on my feet, adventurous, and like to sing” has too many elements. Try to focus on a particular thing—such as an adventurous spirit—and draw it out with examples, anecdotes, and imagery.

Thinking About our Pre-College Experiences Through the Lens of a Metaphor

You don’t have to climb Mount Everest to develop a meaningful metaphor. Colleges care more about how you describe and frame your experiences than the experiences themselves. However, you’re probably not going to find much inspiration from the Sunday you spent watching TV on the couch, so you should make an effort to seek out experiences that inspire you. To start, try pursuing something off the beaten path that interests you over the summer. For example, you might volunteer in another country, take on a unique internship, or gain experience in a profession you plan on pursuing. You might, then, use an aspect of the experience—say, animals you encountered in the wilderness—to highlight the new experiences and adventures you seek out in life: “Seeing a lion on a safari in Africa made me nervous at first, but I soon realized the fear came more from the unknown than the threat the lion posed to me.”

Or, on the flip side of this example, if you’ve had a particular struggle, is there a way to paint a metaphorical picture about it?

Making Your College Application Cohesive

Don’t stretch to hard to fit everything into the metaphor you choose, and don’t try to pack too much into it. You don’t want to make admissions committees have to work to understand what you’re trying to convey. For example, “Working with my teammates to defeat the rival school in football taught me collaboration conquers all” is a bit of a reach, not to mention cliché.

To help you come up with something that defines you and your experiences, make a list of your best qualities and what defines you as a student. Additionally, ask friends, family members, and teachers what they think of when they think about you. Then, make a list of extracurricular activities or other interests you’ve pursued, and try to determine the qualities from the first list each activity brings out. Select one that best exemplifies your personal experiences to write about in your essay. It’s also a good idea to think about particular experiences and anecdotes to illustrate the activity. Also think about imagery you associate with the activity. Does playing piano make you feel peaceful? What other images are associated with peace? Perhaps it transports you to a beach or some other calm setting. Is there a particular time when this feeling was exemplified during a performance or recital?

If you have a particular passion, describe why you love it and what you’ve done to hone and pursue it. Show colleges why it’s meaningful to you. Maybe you’re a writer and have participated in writing programs, contest, and clubs like the school newspaper. Is there an image that comes to mind that illustrates how you’ve made writing your focus?

If you can think of a literal object that works well with your talents and experiences, then great. You could also use a single event or activity to show who you are more generally. For example, you might use debate club to show how you feel like a small-time version of a Supreme Court judge. “One time, when I argued the merits of the public-school system, I pictured myself in a real courtroom, presiding over a trial that would determine the fate of Americans.”

Remember that consistency is key. In Well-Rounded or Specialized? , we explain how it is important to demonstrate passion for a particular specialty or area. Having that passion will help you develop your metaphor, because you will naturally have a theme to exemplify.

Final Thoughts on the Admissions Metaphor

A metaphor is an impressive way to capture the attention of the admissions committee. Remember, you want them to sit up and take notice, so you need to draw them in right away.

Also keep in mind that it’s not just about what you say, but how you say it. While having a solid academic record is important, you need to demonstrate that you are unique. That doesn’t mean you have to have had a unique experience. You might have a particularly insightful or interesting way of describing or looking at something—and that makes you unique! Plus, being able to describe the events of your life or your goals for the future through the frame of a metaphor is one way of showing that you are capable of thinking of general trends and patterns in life in a creative way.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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TechBullion

Guide on how to write & what are the main types of essay.

Different professors may assign you different types of essays. Your problem may lie in the fact that you do not know how to write either of them. It is natural because there are a lot of essay types and all of them have specific requirements and writing guidelines. Thus, students usually need to spend a lot of time to at least understand the way the essay should be written, not talking about thinking about the content and looking for the appropriate literature.

You will not need to rack your brains over dozens of types of essays and how to write the specific type of essay that you need if you go to MyCustomEssay, which is the essay-writing company where specialist get paid to write essays . You can r ead more about this company here and buy the essay right now.

Main Types of the Essays

There are many different types of essays. Yet, the writers can write each of these types such as write my argumentative essay . However, there are seven main types which you may need to change your education. Here is the list of them:

• Narrative essays
• Descriptive essays
• Expository essays
• Persuasive essays
• Argumentative essays
• Compare and contrast essays
• Cause and effect essays
• Reflective essays

If you need to read more information about each of these essays you should better go to this web page and find out more about them. 

Additionally, essays may have different structures and formatting requirements. All this information should be obtained from your professor who has assigned you the essay writing task. Nevertheless, you should never be scared if you see the type of essay which you have never seen because there are even more types than the one we have mentioned above and here you can find out about 15 types of essays.

What are Custom Essay Writing Companies

Have you ever heard other students talking about buying an essay at the writing company? It is not possible to go to some shop such as Ikea, go to the shelves with different ready-made essays, and choose the one that fits your major and topic the most. 

In fact, students buy custom essays online. However, it is also not possible to choose an essay the same way as to buy the book online. The process of purchasing a custom essay is a little bit different.

Firstly, you need to go to an online essay-writing website such as MyCustomEssay. Then you should choose the type of essay you need help with and upload the instructions and requirements of your professor. Next, you need to include such order details as deadline, formatting style, and number of pages.

After that, the writer will be able to write my essay reviews according to your unique instructions. This is what it means to buy a custom essay, which is written by a specialist online and delivered at a specialized platform.

Why Do I Need a Custom Essay Writing Company

Many students need help with their essays. There are many reasons for that:

• Lack of time: students may need time to do all the other home assignments that they receive at school or college. Therefore, they wonder when should i write my college essay and find time to cope with all the assignments. In such a situation, ordering custom essays is a great solution for them. The expert can write my essay in 3 hours .
• Lack of expertise: sometimes professors decide to assign essays with complex requirements and the need for extensive research to support the arguments. However, the students may have bad research skills, lack critical thinking, and think I don’t know what to write my college essay about . 
• Lack of writing skills: some students simply do not have good writing skills and always have problems with such assignments as research papers and essays ans think they can ai write my essay , which is a bad idea. Therefore they use the services of professional writers regularly throughout their educational path. 

If you find yourself in one of these situations and feel that you may not have enough time or writing skills to cope with some essay you should better use the services of professional writers. Most importantly, your essay will be of the highest quality and will be assessed with flying colors.

Difficulties of Choosing an Essay Writer

Some students may find it difficult to choose an essay writer because they have never done this before and have only asked chat gpt write my essay . However, when you visit the professional writing website you will not be able to choose a specific writer and make an analysis of the skills of all writers and compare them. When you place an order the writer who has the most appropriate skills and knowledge will start working on it. It means that you will not even need to spend any time choosing the writer and the writer will be chosen for you.

What is the Safest Custom Essay Writing Service

The safest write my essay for me cheap US service is the one that has a great reputation and has been operating for more than 5 years. Additionally, you should better choose websites that offer many different services such as editing, writing, and proofreading if you think I don’t want to write my essay . Nevertheless, the safe writing services are the ones that offer free revisions and money-back guarantees for students who may need it in case they are not satisfied with the final result they receive.

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Sponsored Content | Best Essay Writing Services: Review and…

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Subscriber only, sponsored content | best essay writing services: review and comparison of top-rated websites.

Reputable service, one of the best sites on the market;

All content is written from scratch by professionals;

No need to provide a lot of personal information, you can stay anonymous;

Reasonable price, great value for money.

Even though all papers that PaperHelp delivers are plagiarism-free, a plagiarism report costs extra;

Urgent orders with short deadlines (3-6 hours) can get expensive.

I’ve used PaperHelp a few times when I’ve been swamped with schoolwork and deadlines were creeping up. It’s a solid option if you’re looking for reliable essay writing services. They offer original content and make sure your papers are free from plagiarism, which is crucial for scoring well.

Their system is straightforward. You don’t need to contact customer support to place an order. You simply choose from three levels of professional essay writers — Basic, Advanced, or TOP — depending on your needs and budget. The starting price is $10 per page, and they can deliver within a minimum of three hours. However, adding extra features can increase the cost significantly, so it’s wise to consider whether you really need those extras.

PaperHelp’s policies are a big plus. They have a money-back guarantee, and you can ask for revisions and proofreading to refine your paper. This has been helpful in ensuring the final product meets my expectations.

One downside is that you have to create an account to make a purchase. It seems unnecessary and a bit annoying, especially since this is common with many online essay writing services — they end up sending you endless promotions.

Despite this, I found the quality of their work to be consistently high. It’s important to double-check and spell-check the work you receive, though, as errors can sometimes slip through.

Overall, PaperHelp is a dependable choice. It won’t replace studying or writing your own papers, but it’s a great help when you’re in a bind. If you’re browsing through Reddit for recommendations, you’ll likely come across positive reviews about them, and from my experience, they’re well-deserved.

2.  BBQPapers  — Best for Complex Assignments

BBQPapers is all about the quality. The company prides itself in writing college papers with professional paper writers that deliver best results on the market;

The company never misses deadlines, you can be sure to receive your order on time, just when you need it;

Free revisions are available 10 days after delivery.

There’s no quick price calculator to get an order estimate, you have to sign up to get the final price;

BBQPapers is somewhat more expensive than most professional essay writing services on this list.

I’ve had my share of experiences with essay writing services, and BBQPapers stands out when it comes to handling complex assignments. They have a team ready to take on papers of any difficulty, and you can even order presentations. Their support is available around the clock, ensuring that you get the best possible grades.

Their prices are pretty reasonable too. High school papers start at $5.85 per 100 words, college papers at $6.77, and PhD-level work begins at $10.64. Every order promises original, plagiarism-free content, thoroughly researched and well-cited, plus you get a free plagiarism report.

Quality control is tight, and each paper is reviewed by a trained editor to ensure error-free results. So, quality isn’t something you’ll need to worry about with them.

Now, understanding their pricing is straightforward. It depends on the academic level, urgency, and length of your paper. Simpler and less urgent tasks cost less, while detailed and urgent ones will naturally cost more. Unlike other essay writing websites that charge by the page, BBQPapers charges by every 100 words, which can make them more expensive. However, they justify their prices with the quality of professional college essay writers they hire.

In summary, while they might be pricier, the quality and service at BBQPapers are top-notch, and they’ve earned a loyal following for it.

3.  SpeedyPaper  — Best Research Paper Writing Service

Good quality, finding a professional essay writer is a matter of minutes, even if your subject is quite peculiar;

There’s no need to pay for a plagiarism report, it is free;

Lots of positive reviews on Reddit.

Finding an ENL essay writer can be quite hard, because SpeedyPaper mostly works with ESL essay writers.

I’ve had some experience with SpeedyPaper, a well-known online essay writing service. They’re pretty good at what they do, focusing on quick turnarounds and maintaining quality. Their services are broad, covering everything from essay writing and proofreading to solving complex problems and even crafting dissertations.

Their pricing is straightforward: starting at $9 for a basic 275-word piece, it can climb to $99 for an urgent six-hour deadline task. For example, a three-page research paper needed in six hours costs $96, but if you give them 24 hours, the price drops to $75.

SpeedyPaper also offers free essay samples on a variety of subjects like Law, Psychology, and Finance, which is a real lifesaver if you’re trying to write a paper on your own and have some time to spare.

The general consensus online seems to agree that SpeedyPaper is reliable and steady—qualities you want in a professional paper writing service that handles your academic needs. They don’t try to dazzle with flashy gimmicks, they just consistently deliver solid work.

From my interactions, the importance of clear communication is clear. When you place an order, you’ll work directly with a writer. It’s crucial to give them all the details up front to ensure the final product meets your expectations. This can really smooth out the whole process.

And while there are loads of glowing reviews on their main page, take it with a grain of salt—no essay writing service online can please everyone, and it’s normal for there to be a mix of opinions.

But if you need a reliable service without over-the-top pricing, SpeedyPaper might just do the trick. They seem to manage well by hiring competent and experienced writers in regions where the cost of living is lower, benefiting everyone involved.

4.  EssayPro  — Best College Paper Writing Service

Good quality, great value for money;

Unlike other sites on this list, EssayPro allows you to choose the best essay writer yourself by browsing through dozens of writers’ profiles;

Direct communication with the chosen professional;

Free essay originality report available.

Finding an online essay writer for your task can be a time-consuming process.

I recently used EssayPro, an essay writing service that really stands out because of its commitment to quality and originality in everything from college essays to academic research. It’s a great help for students who need support with writing, rewriting, editing, or proofreading their assignments.

EssayPro is a cheap essay writing service that serves students across all academic levels, as well as professionals looking for quick, reliable results. Their team includes specialized professionals with diverse expertise, ensuring that every paper is expertly handled.

You can pick your own essay writer, chat directly with them, and place orders at reasonable prices. They promise a stress-free process with top-notch customer support and deliver quality work fast—sometimes in as little as six hours.

Additionally, EssayPro offers a range of services like case studies, dissertations, and business plans, among others. They provide unique perks like a free originality report, guaranteed anonymity, 24/7 support, and unlimited revisions.

From my experience, what really sets them apart is their transparent approach. You can view detailed profiles of their essay writers online and choose who you want to work with based on a flexible bidding system. This flexibility extends to their pricing, making it easier to work within your budget—unless you’re after the most sought-after professional essay writers, as their fees can go up with demand.

If you’re good at academic writing and looking for freelance opportunities, EssayPro might be worth considering. They manage to keep their rates competitive by handling a large volume of work.

The design of the website is clear and easy to navigate, with a pleasing aesthetic and a straightforward interface. It’s definitely a reliable choice for anyone needing academic writing help.

5.  ExpertWriting  — Best for Discounts and Bonuses

Reasonable price, good quality;

Great discounts for regular customers, good choice for resellers.

The company doesn’t clearly communicate the fact that some disciplines can cost more than others;

Customer service couldn’t be more responsive.

I’ve used ExpertWriting for various academic assignments, and I’ve found it to be a reliable service. This platform offers a variety of academic writing services, including essay writing, research papers, term papers, and coursework, as well as editing and proofreading to improve your essays.

The process is straightforward. You submit your assignment details, and they quote a rate. If you agree, you gain access to their pool of essay writers and editors who can assist with your writing needs. You’ll receive your completed work by the deadline you set.

ExpertWriting is known for being affordable, which is great for students on a budget. They are often recommended on platforms like Reddit as a cost-effective option without compromising on quality. They also offer discounts for bulk orders, which can help save even more.

I’d particularly recommend ExpertWriting if you’re pressed for time. We’ve all been there—needing to complete a solid piece of academic work in a rush. While their prices go up for tighter deadlines, they manage them well. For example, they can deliver work in as little as three hours, though for more complex papers, more time will naturally be required.

However, it’s wise not to expect miracles for extremely short deadlines, especially for lengthy papers. For a more realistic turnaround, an eight-hour deadline is doable for them without sacrificing the quality too much.

Pricing on ExpertWriting is reasonable. For a less urgent two-week deadline, you’ll pay around $11 per page, which can increase depending on the urgency, academic level, and length of your paper. This is pretty standard across most professional writing services.

Lastly, they don’t just handle essays. You can get help with almost any type of academic writing, including research proposals, creative writing assignments, cover letters, and literature reviews. It’s a versatile platform that can meet various academic needs.

6.  ExtraEssay  — Best Customer Service

Affordable prices and good quality;

Free, unlimited revisions for 10 days after order delivery;

Exceptional customer service, the customer support team is always ready to help anytime.

Sometimes ExtraEssay fails to meet customers’ deadlines.

I’ve been turning to ExtraEssay for my academic writing needs for a couple of years now, and they’ve been a reliable resource ever since they started up about seven years ago. Their focus is clear—they prioritize attention to detail, reliability, and professionalism.

They offer a broad spectrum of about 20 services, primarily catering to students. You can get anything from basic essays to more specialized documents like resumes and cover letters, all tailored to meet your needs.

What really sets ExtraEssay apart for me is their competitive pricing. It’s rare to find such affordable rates without compromising on quality. The essays and support you receive are absolutely top-tier. Speaking of support, their customer service is remarkable. I’ve had several interactions with their team, and each time they were exceptionally helpful and knowledgeable.

Navigating their website is a breeze too. The homepage is packed with useful information, making it easy for anyone to understand their offerings right off the bat. From a handy price calculator to detailed descriptions of the ordering process, everything is laid out to ensure a smooth user experience.

They don’t just cater to experienced users, and newcomers will find themselves comfortably making their way through the site. They’ve also detailed essential features like free revisions and continuous customer support, which have been lifesavers for me on more than one occasion.

With thousands of clients each year and an 85% return rate, it’s clear they’re doing something right. Their commitment to their customers really shows through in every aspect of their service.

7.  GradeMinders  — Best for Quick Turnaround

Reputable company, solid and consistent quality;

The fastest college essay service on the market (1-hour turnaround time available);

Finding a writer during crunch season might be time-consuming.

GradeMiners is more expensive than most essay writing sites in the industry.

I’ve been using GradeMiners for a while now, and I have to say, they offer a solid service at a fair price. A high school essay runs about $16 per page, and a college paper is $18 per page. They offer a wide array of professional academic writing services beyond just essays; you can get help with everything from presentations and book reviews to lab reports and dissertations.

The process is straightforward: you go to their website, pick your subject, set your deadline, and the professional writers take it from there. They assure that your paper will be completely original and plagiarism-free, which is crucial.

One of the standout features is their speedy delivery. If you’re pressed for time, you can get a college paper done within an hour—as long as it’s not too long. This frees you up to concentrate on other things that might need more of your attention or are more appealing to you.

8. EssayTerritory — Best New Essay Writing Company

Good quality, fair price;

Great loyalty program, good choice for students who are looking to use this site regularly;

Exceptional customer service.

No sample essays available;

Plagiarism report doesn’t come for free;

Expensive extras.

I recently tried out EssayTerritory, a new but promising college paper writing service. It was easy to find an essay writer that matched my specific needs, and the platform has a roster of over 800 active paper writers. They’ve already completed more than 1300 orders, which is impressive for a newcomer.

What stands out most about EssayTerritory is their 98% satisfaction rate. It seems they really know how to please their customers, as about 85% of users return for more academic papers. They offer a plagiarism-free guarantee like many top essay writing services, and they’ll give you a full refund if they miss your deadline or if your work contains plagiarism.

You can order various assignments from them—essays, research papers, case studies, term papers, dissertations, and even help with presentations or speeches if that’s what you need. They also provide proofreading and editing services.

Privacy and confidentiality are top priorities for them. They ensure that every “write my essay” request is kept anonymous and your personal details are secure. They have robust measures in place to prevent any data leaks. This level of security gave me a lot of confidence in using their essay writer service.

FAQs About Best Paper Writing Services

Should i trust essay writing service reviews.

Trusting essay writing service reviews can be tricky. Unfortunately, some companies that offer a custom essay writing service also operate fake review sites to maintain a positive online reputation. This means you need to be cautious about where you look for reviews.

For more reliable information, it’s better to use independent review platforms like SiteJabber and Reviews.io. These sites are generally more trustworthy because they’re not directly affiliated with any essay writing services.

However, even with these platforms, it’s wise to approach reviews with a critical eye. Some dedicated essay writing review sites might have biases or hidden motives, so take their recommendations with skepticism and always cross-reference multiple sources if possible.

How long does it take to have my essay written for me?

Essay writers generally focus on producing high-quality work, and the time it takes to write an essay largely depends on its length. For a standard 275-word essay, the average turnaround is about 3 hours. Most essay writing services strive to meet these deadlines consistently.

If you’re in a rush and your deadline is just a few hours away, you can opt for a premium service. This usually involves having several top-rated writers collaborate to deliver your essay in about half the standard time.

It’s worth noting that the best college paper writing services might experience delays during peak times when demand is high. Typically, they recommend giving writers at least six hours to complete an essay. If you’re willing to pay extra, your order can be prioritized to ensure a faster delivery.

For more complex assignments like thesis papers or extensive research projects, the process can take up to five days. Writers often submit a partial draft by the second day for client feedback, allowing any revisions to be included in the final submission by day five.

Will my essay be written by a professional essay writer?

Picking a reliable essay writing website is crucial for ensuring the safety, confidentiality, and quality of the service.

When hiring writers, most companies put them through a rigorous vetting process. They typically require that writers have native or near-native proficiency in the language they’ll be writing in, along with a relevant degree from an accredited university.

Once hired, these writers undergo further training on the platform to polish their linguistic and formatting skills. They only start working on actual assignments once their writing meets the company’s professional standards.

The best writing services take extra steps to maintain high-quality standards. For example, every piece of work is checked by a moderator before it goes to the client. Writers are also provided with ongoing opportunities to enhance their skills within the company’s supportive environment.

The person who is labeled as a premium paper writer often has more experience and higher qualifications, like a Ph.D., and at least two years of writing experience. While their services cost a bit more, the quality they deliver usually makes the investment worthwhile.

Is using a paper writing service confidential and safe?

The internet is a vast resource where people often share their knowledge, which is a huge help, especially for college students working on their homework. It’s also completely legal and secure to purchase essays and custom papers online if you need them. However, it’s crucial to choose a reputable provider to avoid issues like plagiarism or low-quality work, which could waste your time, money, and effort.

I’ve found that doing your homework on these services is essential. Make sure to look at the company’s refund policy in case you’re not satisfied with their work, and confirm that they’ll keep your school’s name confidential. It’s also a good idea to check reviews of their past work to see if it’s well-written and structurally sound.

From my experience, as long as you do this research beforehand, buying essays online can be a safe option that keeps your details private. Just be vigilant to avoid scams.

What if I’m not satisfied with my paper?

Most top-rated essay writing companies strive to deliver excellent quality, because they want their customers to come back. They have skilled writers who are well-versed in various academic tasks, including essays, lab reports, and research papers. They work hard to produce top-quality work.

If there are any issues with the finished product, these services usually offer free revisions until you’re satisfied with the quality. Client satisfaction is a high priority for these companies, driven by stiff market competition. The goal is to deliver a flawless paper that helps you achieve a high grade.

What are the main drawbacks of using essay writing services?

For many students, using essay writing services is considered a luxury, primarily because the reputable ones that offer great reviews, unlimited revisions, and maintain confidentiality tend to be more expensive. Opting for cheap essay writing services often means risking quality and reliability, especially when it comes to meeting deadlines.

Plagiarism is another serious issue. Both intentional and unintentional plagiarism can occur, particularly with services that don’t carefully vet their writers. Sometimes, clients don’t discover the plagiarism until it’s too late to rewrite the paper and meet their deadline.

Moreover, if an essay writing company lacks a quality control team, the work submitted by writers might be subpar, filled with typos and grammatical errors. Some writers might also resist feedback, making it hard to get the necessary revisions to ensure the essay meets your standards.

Who will write my work and what determines the price?

Your assignment will be handled by writers with diverse backgrounds. Some are full-time professionals dedicated solely to writing, while others are former academics who’ve embraced the flexibility of working from home. There are also those who write as a side job.

Regarding pricing, we’ve discussed the main factors in our article: the length of the assignment, its complexity, and the deadline. Another element influencing cost is the location of the company. Businesses based in regions like Eastern Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia often have lower rates because the cost of living is lower there, making the dollar stretch further.

Comparison of the Top Paper Writing Services

#1. paperhelp 🏅.

Academic papers written from scratch by writers with Ph.D. and Master’s degrees;

No need to provide any personal information;

Reasonable price, great quality, plagiarism-free papers.

#2. BBQPapers 🥈

Premium quality, best writers in the industry;

On-time delivery guarantee, even on rush orders;

Free revisions.

#3. EssayPro 🥉

Good quality at a reasonable price (ENL writers);

Free plagiarism report;

Good reputation.

Best Essay Services: Conclusion

Working with a professional essay writing service is important not only for the quality of the work you’ll receive but also for the security of your personal details. Many students turn to these services when they’re pressed for time and need to complete their academic tasks—there’s nothing wrong with this approach.

Today, numerous legitimate essay writing services uphold high standards of academic integrity and deliver plagiarism-free papers. These paper writing websites are generally affordable for most students, although there are some exceptions.

Before placing an order, it’s important to do your homework. Check the company’s reviews, find out if it offers a refund policy, and look into its track record on past projects. A reliable service will prioritize your confidentiality, which is a vital consideration.

The news and editorial staff of the Santa Cruz Sentinel had no role in this post’s preparation. This is a paid advertisement and does not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Santa Cruz Sentinel, its employees, or subsidiaries.

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Protecting Ourselves When Writing About Others featuring Cait West Let’s Talk Memoir

Cait West joins Let’s Talk Memoir for a conversation about growing up in and leaving Christian patriarchy, indoctrination, identifying and writing about the rifts she felt in herself and her family, gender oppression, using geology as a metaphor, moving from memoir in essays to a more linear form, ethical and legal concerns when writing about others, coming to grips with abuse, purity culture, and her memoir Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy. Also in this episode: -protecting anonymity in those we write about -trauma therapy -protecting ourselves by taking breaks when writing    Books mentioned in this episode:  -Mothers of Sparta by Dawn Davies -Flesh and Blood by N. West Moss -Wiving by Caityln Myer   Cait West is a writer and editor based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her work has been published in The Revealer, Religion Dispatches, Fourth Genre, and Hawai`i Pacific Review, among others. As an advocate and a survivor of the Christian patriarchy movement, she serves on the editorial board for Tears of Eden, a nonprofit providing resources for survivors of spiritual abuse, and cohosts the podcast Survivors Discuss. Her debut memoir, Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy, releases on April 30, 2024.   Connect with Cait: Website: https://www.caitwest.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitwestwrites TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caitwestwrites Substack: https://caitwest.substack.com/ Get Cait’s Book: https://www.caitwest.com/book — Ronit’s writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer’s Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts’ 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories. She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and lives in Seattle with her family where she teaches memoir workshops and is working on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com   Sign up for monthly podcast and writing updates: https://bit.ly/33nyTKd   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://twitter.com/RonitPlank https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank   Background photo credit: Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash Headshot photo credit: Sarah Anne Photography Theme music: Isaac Joel, Dead Moll’s Fingers

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NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns with blast at new CEO

David Folkenflik

Uri Berliner resigned from NPR on Wednesday saying he could not work under the new CEO Katherine Maher. He cautioned that he did not support calls to defund NPR. Uri Berliner hide caption

Uri Berliner resigned from NPR on Wednesday saying he could not work under the new CEO Katherine Maher. He cautioned that he did not support calls to defund NPR.

NPR senior business editor Uri Berliner resigned this morning, citing the response of the network's chief executive to his outside essay accusing NPR of losing the public's trust.

"I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years," Berliner wrote in an email to CEO Katherine Maher. "I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism. But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay."

NPR and Maher declined to comment on his resignation.

The Free Press, an online site embraced by journalists who believe that the mainstream media has become too liberal, published Berliner's piece last Tuesday. In it, he argued that NPR's coverage has increasingly reflected a rigid progressive ideology. And he argued that the network's quest for greater diversity in its workforce — a priority under prior chief executive John Lansing – has not been accompanied by a diversity of viewpoints presented in NPR shows, podcasts or online coverage.

Later that same day, NPR pushed back against Berliner's critique.

"We're proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, wrote in a memo to staff . "We believe that inclusion — among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage — is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world."

Yet Berliner's commentary has been embraced by conservative and partisan Republican critics of the network, including former President Donald Trump and the activist Christopher Rufo.

Rufo is posting a parade of old social media posts from Maher, who took over NPR last month. In two examples, she called Trump a racist and also seemed to minimize the effects of rioting in 2020. Rufo is using those to rally public pressure for Maher's ouster, as he did for former Harvard University President Claudine Gay .

Others have used the moment to call for the elimination of federal funding for NPR – less than one percent of its roughly $300 million annual budget – and local public radio stations, which derive more of their funding from the government.

NPR names tech executive Katherine Maher to lead in turbulent era

Berliner reiterated in his resignation letter that he does not support such calls.

In a brief interview, he condemned a statement Maher issued Friday in which she suggested that he had questioned "whether our people are serving our mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity." She called that "profoundly disrespectful, hurtful, and demeaning."

Berliner subsequently exchanged emails with Maher, but she did not address those comments.

"It's been building up," Berliner said of his decision to resign, "and it became clear it was on today."

For publishing his essay in The Free Press and appearing on its podcast, NPR had suspended Berliner for five days without pay. Its formal rebuke noted he had done work outside NPR without its permission, as is required, and shared proprietary information.

(Disclosure: Like Berliner, I am part of NPR's Business Desk. He has edited many of my past stories. But he did not see any version of this article or participate in its preparation before it was posted publicly.)

Earlier in the day, Berliner forwarded to NPR editors and other colleagues a note saying he had "never questioned" their integrity and had been trying to raise these issues within the newsroom for more than seven years.

What followed was an email he had sent to newsroom leaders after Trump's 2016 win. He wrote then: "Primarily for the sake of our journalism, we can't align ourselves with a tribe. So we don't exist in a cocoon that blinds us to the views and experience of tens of millions of our fellow citizens."

Berliner's critique has inspired anger and dismay within the network. Some colleagues said they could no longer trust him after he chose to publicize such concerns rather than pursue them as part of ongoing newsroom debates, as is customary. Many signed a letter to Maher and Edith Chapin, NPR's chief news executive. They asked for clarity on, among other things, how Berliner's essay and the resulting public controversy would affect news coverage.

Yet some colleagues privately said Berliner's critique carried some truth. Chapin also announced monthly reviews of the network's coverage for fairness and diversity - including diversity of viewpoint.

She said in a text message earlier this week that that initiative had been discussed long before Berliner's essay, but "Now seemed [the] time to deliver if we were going to do it."

She added, "Healthy discussion is something we need more of."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.

• Katherine Maher
• uri berliner

Opinion Here’s why Uri Berliner couldn’t stay at NPR

Uri Berliner is offended.

In an April 9 essay in the Free Press, Berliner, who worked at NPR for 25 years, raps his employer for allegedly running a newsroom fueled by progressive sensibilities that seep into a skewed on-air product. Stories on Trump-Russia, Hunter Biden and covid-19 have all suffered from acute NPRitis, he writes. And racial and identity considerations — as well as affinity groups — shape workplace culture.

The essay triggered a bona fide media drama that concluded on Wednesday with Berliner’s resignation. On his way out, he delivered a parting shot at CEO Katherine Maher. “I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new C.E.O. whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay,” Berliner wrote on X .

Just what had Maher done to deserve such a diss? She had published a statement pushing back against Berliner’s essay : “Questioning whether our people are serving our mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity, is profoundly disrespectful, hurtful, and demeaning.” As NPR’s own David Folkenflik reported, Berliner took exception to that commentary.

Which is to say, Berliner is now an expert in disparagement and umbrage. In his Free Press essay, he deplores his colleagues’ “advocacy” and alleges that it had “veered toward efforts to damage or topple [Donald] Trump’s presidency.”

Now that is disparagement. Even in the rough-and-tumble world of journalism, slamming your colleagues for their published work — especially in another outlet — is a rare undertaking. As Berliner suggests in his essay, it was something of a last resort, considering that he had raised his concerns internally to little effect. He invited people to sample NPR’s coverage and “make their own judgment.”

Invitation accepted. Over the past several days, I have sifted through roughly three years’ worth of NPR’s coverage of Russiagate, the effort by federal investigators and the media to discover the truth about the Trump campaign’s connections to Russia. Since NPR’s alleged tilt on this story serves as Exhibit No. 1 in Berliner’s onslaught — and since it’s central to the claim that the network sought to topple Trump — I chose to limit my efforts to this portion of the essay.

And what a portion it is! The NPR Russia-Trump coverage plume under fire from Berliner consists of thousands of articles, podcasts, segments and so on. Berliner links to one . His serious allegations, accordingly, are backed by scant evidence, if any at all. It’s a lazy, summary approach to evaluating a large body of work — a feelings-based critique of the sort that passes for media reporting these days. Too often, essayists write their conclusory broadsides against this or that outlet, confident in the knowledge that their fellow ideological travelers will applaud no matter how threadbare the supporting material.

Berliner’s opus was published by the Free Press , an outlet dedicated to covering stories “ignored or misconstrued in the service of an ideological narrative” — and not by NPR, which requires infinitely greater substantiation for its media reporting, whether the crisis lies in its own newsroom or somewhere else.

The irony there: Berliner has edited many of the stories carrying the byline of Folkenflik, NPR’s media correspondent. He knows better.

Here’s how Berliner supports his conclusions on NPR’s Russia work: Rep. Adam “Schiff, who was the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, became NPR’s guiding hand, its ever-present muse. By my count, NPR hosts interviewed Schiff 25 times about Trump and Russia. During many of those conversations, Schiff alluded to purported evidence of collusion. The Schiff talking points became the drumbeat of NPR news reports.”

Yes, Schiff is a recurring presence in the broadcasts. “Like many broadcast news organizations, NPR interviewed Rep. Schiff often during the Trump administration, as he was a principal figure in the Russian interference investigation — a story we covered with caution and perspective,” says an NPR spokesperson in a statement. “Rep. Schiff’s perspective was only one element of our coverage of the Russian interference story, in no way did he commandeer the reporting of NPR.” According to the spokesperson, NPR did 900 interviews with congressional lawmakers between January 2017 and December 2019 — including Paul Ryan , Jim Jordan , Eric Swalwell and others.

Numbers matter less than the content of those Schiff interviews, which tend toward procedural mishmash, recitation of previously reported revelations and the centrality of oversight. In this interview , Schiff says that if former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort cooperates with authorities, “we could learn a lot more.” In this one , the congressman speaks to his committee’s investigative imperatives: “I think we need to use subpoenas, and we need to stand up and say, we’re going to get the answers here.” In this one , Schiff is asked whether Trump gets “especially agitated” when the topic turns to Russia. “Well, absolutely,” he responds.

Is this the prejudicial poison of which Berliner writes? I asked him to supply instances in which Schiff’s talking points suffused NPR’s independent reporting. After several emails and a phone call, Berliner hasn’t responded with supporting material.

Had NPR wished to addle its lefty audience with suggestive reporting about Trump’s alleged criminality regarding Russia, it had a tool at its disposal. The so-called Steele dossier, published in early January 2017 by BuzzFeed News, contained explosive allegations presented by a former British intelligence officer. Various news outlets and commentators bathed the dossier in credibility it didn’t deserve, as noted in an extensive thread by Drew Holden and a series in this space . Top offenders include McClatchy, which ran stories bolstering the dossier’s claims that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen had traveled to Prague for collusive business; and dossier believer in chief Rachel Maddow of MSNBC, who cheered for the document throughout Russiagate.

NPR’s dossier work was by no means perfect. “Fresh Air” host Terry Gross, for example, occasionally failed to properly smack down dossier boosters during interviews. Yet the outlet was careful to avoid McClatchy’s “scoops” on Cohen and otherwise to cordon off its descriptions of the dossier with police tape. “NPR has never detailed the document because so much of it remains unproved,” reads a 2019 NPR story . The NPR spokesperson said in a statement: “We were not able to find any examples of NPR corroborating unconfirmed elements of the Trump dossier."

As further evidence of his employer’s errant ways, Berliner argues that after the Mueller report found “no credible evidence of collusion, NPR’s coverage was notably sparse. Russiagate quietly faded from our programming.” It’s an immutable law of media physics, of course, that coverage peters out when a story comes to an end. Who, after all, is doing continuing coverage of Abscam these days?

But there’s more flimsiness afoot here. Berliner’s dismissal of Robert S. Mueller III’s findings — technically misguided, because the special counsel’s investigation didn’t apply the “concept of 'collusion’” in its work — leaves the impression that the media’s pursuit of the various Russiagate strands was a fool’s errand. In fact, journalists as well as official investigations documented a spreadsheet’s worth of scandalous activity that didn’t amount to an international conspiracy, in Mueller’s view. Trump will have you believe that the absence of criminality signifies the absence of wrongdoing, a logical atrocity abetted by Berliner’s essay.

Ditching the nitty-gritty, Berliner’s claim of an NPR campaign to “topple” Trump grinds against the measured claims in NPR’s day-to-day coverage. Examples abound. In this segment , NPR correspondents struggle to wrap their heads around the just-released Mueller report. In this one , NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly interviews a former CIA official who presciently shoots down liberal fever dreams related to Russia and Trump. In this piece , published months before the Mueller report, an NPR editor argues that the Russia case is “weakening” and even attributes an “important kernel of truth” to the famous tweet by Trump citing “No Smocking Gun … No Collusion.” This piece highlights Trump’s point of view regarding the Mueller investigation. And this one bears the headline “Trumps Exult Following Reports Of No Phone Contact Ahead Of 2016 Russia Meeting.”

After the Russia experience, writes Berliner, NPR compounded its mistakes by moving on with “no mea culpas, no self-reflection.” By all means, self-reflect — it’s a good step for any news organization after a big story. Presumably, Berliner would have supplied various URLs for such a review, but he didn’t share any with me. After skulking around in the NPR search box, I’d nominate the Gross interviews on the dossier and other pieces that faced challenges or turned out to be inconsistent with other reporting.

With his tendentious claims, however, Berliner doesn’t merely overstep the paltry evidence in his piece. He positions his now-former workplace as a hive of ideologues driven by political outcomes instead of the facts — basically a left-wing analogue to Fox News. That salvo appeared to diminish his appeal as a newsroom collaborator.

NPR, as it turns out, is an analogue to nothing — a sui generis outlet driven by old-fashioned journo-principles, an aversion to offending anyone and a steady propensity to annoy listeners. Surely, it has many things to apologize for, though an on-air campaign to oust a president isn’t among them.

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