Category: English 110 (Page 3 of 3)

Windows and doors. Very simple things we have in every day life. But when we create a metaphor with them, they become more than just windows and doors. They become a frame of view, showing different perspectives. See Through Words by Micheal Erard talks about windows and doors compared to metaphors. The way he talks about the doors and windows showing different perspectives makes me think about the fact that metaphors can change the perspective of the reader or be interpreted differently. With metaphors you sometimes have to ‘help’ the reader see what you want them too. To do this you have to spell things out for the reader, giving them more context.

The way emotions get involved in metaphors, especially for the reader, is amazing to read about. The example that Erard gave was the dandelion and orchid metaphor. He spoke that the metaphor was supposed to show the difference between children who did well under a narrow set of circumstances and children who did well under a range of circumstances. The metaphor didn’t go over well because parents never want to think of their child as a sturdy weed that people are trying to get rid of. Erard made the point of, “When people won’t use a term to describe their own kids, thats a give away that the metaphor won’t work”. This point made sense because parents are always protective of their kids, so when looking at either comparing them to a beautiful flower, or a weed, they’ll pick the flower each time.

When listening to the TED Talk, I was able to understand the references better than when reading the transcript. Listening and watching him talk made me understand the impact of metaphors in our everyday life better. When reading the transcript, I was able to clarify the use of synesthesia in metaphors. It is interesting to think people who experience synesthesia are rare, but everyone referencing it in metaphors is so common.

I had a text to self connections while reading and watching the TED Talk. One of the tests that Geary talked about, the Stroop Test. There are names of colors on a sheet of paper, but the ink that they’re printed in is different from the name. I have done the experiment before and not many people were able to complete it without messing up at least once. When he explains the test at the end saying, “The test shows we cannot ignore the literal meaning of words even when the literal meaning gives the wrong answer”, this resonates with me because it shows the human condition. The idea that even when we are instructed that something is wrong, we cannot break from what we were originally taught. 

When Geary talks about metaphors creating expectations, I started to think about all of the expectations that could be thought of with the metaphor, “My life is the dark tunnel leading to the light”. The expectations of this metaphor can be that there has to be dark times to have a good time. People may think that there has to be a light coming soon, but in reality the light can come as fast or as slow as you want it to. There are many perspectives to metaphors, so when writing in them you cannot know how someone would perceive them.