Abstract The paper looks ar Sylvia Plath's poem "Metaphors". This is an example of Plath's tightly controlled, allusive verse. The speaker in the poem states that she is a riddle; as the nine nine-syllable lines unfold with their nine metaphors, it becomes clear that the answer to the riddle is pregnancy. The speaker moves from the obvious negatives (the fatness and ungainliness) to the positives (fruitfulness) and on to the deeper-lying negatives (loss of control and loss of identity).
From the Paper "The poem "Metaphors" poses a riddle: it invites the reader to discover the situation of the poet through information disclosed in a series of metaphors. The metaphors, which equate the speaker with various disparate objects, do not, like similes, make a comparison with words such as "like" or "as". Rather they say that the poet "is" the unusual object mentioned. It is only but seeking the common thread in the objects cited that the reader can solve the riddle. Throughout the course of the poem, the poet calls herself "a riddle" (line 1), "an elephant" (line 2), "a...house" (line 2), "a melon" (line 3), a "loaf" (line 5), a "purse" (line 6), "a means" (line 7), "a stage" (line 7), and "a cow in calf" (line 7). A riddle is a construction within which a meaning is hidden."
Abstract One of the key things about similes and metaphors in contemporary rock love songs is that, for the most part, they can be interpreted in various and multiple ways. In other words, they contain a strong sense of ambiguity. This allows them to be taken as speaking to each individual listener as if the song were aimed directly at him or her.
Abstract This is a critical review of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, briefly describing several overarching themes that appear as metaphors or imagery in Western culture.
Abstract This paper aims to critically review, examine and explain how different metaphors impact organisational life, with the help of academic text and examples from personal experience. This author has carried this out by focusing on three commonly used organisational metaphors. The paper has been roughly divided into four sections with the author concluding that while metaphors use evocative images to help us understand situations, if taken too seriously they can eventually lead to managers making poor decisions.
Outline:
Machine Metaphor Organism Metaphor Culture Metaphor Illustration of Metaphors through my Organisational Experience
From the Paper "Machine metaphor is arguably the most popular metaphor used in organisations and effectively the most influential metaphor to have influenced organisational life. This metaphor portrays an organisation as a machine, which is made up of several different parts, with each part playing a defined role, with the ultimate aim of achieving organisational goals and objectives. This mechanistic aspect is inherent in virtually all organisational functions, starting from planning, organising, and implementing to evaluation and control. In this concept people are considered as mere operators of machines and the focus is on maximum efficiency and productivity.
"Organisations that are designed and operated as if they were machines are usually called "bureaucracies" (Morgan, G, 1998). In mechanistic organisations things tend to be monotonous and predictable, such as arrival time, time for breaks, change over of employees, etc. Very often the work tends to be mechanical and repetitive, especially at the lower levels. Two of the greatest examples of the mechanistic model are Ford and McDonalds. During the industrial revolution, "the assembly line" by Ford proved to be a great success, and in the current times McDonalds has set up a great example by "mechanising the organisation of all its franchise outlets throughout the world, to produce a uniform product". (Morgan, G, 1998)."
Abstract This paper discusses various metaphors used in organizational structures. The paper explains the military or mechanical model metaphor and the organic or biological system metaphor. The paper also examines the cognitive system metaphor and the ecosystem metaphor. The paper presents a discussion as to how effective the metaphors are in enabling a greater understanding of organizational processes to be developed.
From the Paper "In today's hyper-competitive world, organizations struggle daily to garner and maintain valuable market share. Thanks to globalization, businesses are experiencing competition from all four corners of the globe. It is now common for competitors to operate in completely different environments, both internally and externally. Despite the increased opportunities offered by globalization, it becomes increasingly difficult for some companies to remain competitive. As such, aspects such as "superior/subordinate relationships, leadership, teamwork, motivation, and conflict management" (Norris, 2000, p. 105) become ever more important, and each of these hinges upon the organization's structure."
Abstract This paper looks at definitions of metaphors, their usefulness or lack thereof, and the basics of communication theory and how metaphors work in conjunction with that theory. While acknowledging that metaphors are good in that they describe a feeling that might not be communicated in another fashion, the paper also looks at whether it might be possible to educate the receiver of these metaphores that it might be prudent to implement some basic communication theories before swallowing metaphors "as true fact'.
From the Paper "Metaphors go through every form of communication in daily life. Since everything from politics, to science, to internet based research, entertainment, to speaking day to day with friends, neighbors and academic professionals involve spoken or written communication, metaphors permeate every facet of our lives.
"With that being the case, we need to understand them, and that is the purpose behind this paper, Metaphors in Daily Life. This paper looks at definitions of metaphors, if any exist, their usefulness or lack thereof, and the basic of communication theory and how metaphors work in conjunction with that theory. Do they have a relevance when the recipient of the conversation does not share the same experiences as the deliverer of those messages, or are they lost with no relevance because there is not enough literal meaning in which to extract meaningful interpretation?"
Abstract The paper states that modern, corporate advertisers over the decades have effectively learned how to manipulate the consumers' buying habits. In order to increase their persuasive power over the modern consumer, advertisers align their products with extreme images of a desirable, perhaps even metaphoric lifestyle. The paper comments that the result is a story that anyone can achieve an iconic lifestyle by simply buying products. The paper continues and notes that similar to advertisers, the news media uses firmly implanted iconic images as metaphors. Then, by augmenting the metaphoric image with text and editorial, the media creates a controllable story, or narrative motif. In order to understand the news media's interpretation of current events correctly, this paper examines each type of the iconic image, their corresponding metaphors and the resulting narrative motifs. The paper begins with a detailed examination of each type of metaphorical image.
Outline:
Directionality of Movement
News Photographs
Assemblages of Images
The Statue of Liberty
Imaging Multitudes and Masses
Woman and Child Image
Water-Flood Imagery
The Flag of the USA
From the Paper "Photographs carry powerful messages since they are able to deliver a close reproduction of reality. The photographs' capture of reality give magazine covers a type of eyewitness testimony. However, this also means that the readers are more likely to be unaware that those pictures have been manipulated, and that they might have been designed to construct a specific message. Chavez notes, that "Photographs become both testimony and evidence for the position that immigration is a problem and that the nation's borders are being tested by people wishing to enter the country illegally" . Furthermore, photographs steer away any ideological bias accusations from magazines since they appear to represent what "really" happened."
Reviews and discusses D. G. MacKay's article, "Prototypicality among Metaphors: On the Relative Frequency of Personification and Spatial Metaphors in Literature written for Children Versus Adults ".
Abstract This paper explains that Donald G. MacKay's article, "Prototypicality among Metaphors: On the Relative Frequency of Personification and Spatial Metaphors in Literature written for Children Versus Adults", explores the profuse use of personification metaphors in the English language especially in poetry. The paper reports the findings of MacKay's study and describes the way the writer would apply these findings about metaphors to how she teaches college students.
From the Paper " If I was a teaching assistant and I had to explain this to apathetic college students I would introduce the idea of metaphors by asking the group to come up with as many metaphors as they could. Hopefully the results would be two-fold, first it would point out the prevalence of metaphors in day-to-day life and secondly it would show the higher frequency of personification metaphors. I'm assuming that most of these kids will not have thought much about metaphors and assumedly will not have thought about everyday metaphors like container or metonymy metaphors."
A discussion of the recurring use of female fidelity and respectability as metaphors by the Hebrew prophets to convey the concept of infidelity to God.
Abstract This paper discusses how the Hebrew prophets used the metaphor of female fidelity to refer to the actions of cities and nations with regard to righteousness. The writer lists two approaches to the use of this metaphor, one of which argues that the metaphor was the best one to convey the concept of infidelity to God in such a way as to be understood by the common audience, and another that focuses on the power of the metaphor to express the concept in the most forceful way. Using three examples, selected respectively from Isaiah, Nahum, and Ezekiel, the writer argues that both approaches are necessary to a full understanding of how the metaphor was used.
From the Paper "It would be a mistake, however, to think that the allegory of the sisters is merely lighthearted and engaging entertainment. While Ezekiel had the ability to make parables interesting, he did not neglect to make them powerful as well. Perhaps the most powerful aspect of this allegory is the overt accusation that the sisters are adulterers. Though the story is entertaining, one has not forgotten its allegorical nature. Jerusalem and Samaria, then, are called adulterous, an insult that, while its applicability is perhaps not immediately apparent, is shocking nevertheless. Upon some reflection, to accuse the cities of being adulteresses is, first, to reinforce their feminine, subservient nature with respect to God and, second, to imply that the harshest of punishments are certainly awaiting those who are unfaithful to God."
Abstract This paper is on "Personal Metaphor for Organization Theory". It includes the underlying assumptions, major tents, and organizational structures associated with your metaphor, it also notes the points of efficiency, effectiveness, and appropriateness of your metaphor for the coming decades. It also explains your own metaphor for organization theory.
Abstract Discusses metaphor and poetic diction, metaphor as the highest use of language, metaphor as a product of thought and language, and the power of language to make symbols and signs. Provides examples of various poets' use of metaphor.
From the Paper "It is a commonplace of elementary-school studies that a metaphor is "a figure of speech, an implied analogy in which one thing is imaginatively compared to or identified with another, dissimilar thing" (Morner and Rausch 131). But as Morner and Rausch ..."
Abstract This essay refers to numerous metaphors used throughout the entire short story "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck. The writer shows how Steinbeck uses descriptions of the landscape as a metaphor to women's issues. It further describes how Steinbeck uses Elisa's garden as a metaphor to the growing issues of women.
From the Paper " "A story is a way to say something that can"t be said any other way, and it takes every word in the story to say what the meaning is.? This quote from Flannery O?Connor, a well-known author of short fiction, describes that some short stories convey strong messages, which are not always plainly stated. In order to portray these messages, authors commonly use metaphors to emphasize a statement indirectly. An example of one of these authors is John Steinbeck, who commonly uses metaphors to portray a message in his writing. Throughout his entire short story, ?The Chrysanthemums,? John Steinbeck uses numerous metaphors to express women's issues during the early 1900?s."
Tags: 1900s, chyrsanthemums, john, literary, metaphors, steinbeck, women
Abstract This paper examines Metaphors We Live By (1981) by G Lakoff and M Johnson. They argue that metaphor plays a much deeper role in our society and the process of communication than most people realize. This paper outlines their concept of metaphor and compares and contrasts it to other media theories.
Abstract In recent decades, the organization of businesses has evolved, and with it the theory relating to organizational structure has evolved. Bearing in mind this evolution, the author of this paper formulated a metaphor for organization theory that she believes is relevant to current organizational theory. The metaphor chosen is the brain. This metaphor is informed by the latest research on the functioning of the brain.
Abstract This paper explains that poets and prophets have traditionally used animal figures to convey criticism of the existing culture, endowing the natural with metaphoric importance. The author points out that Hughes slowly shapes the crow into a sort of prototype for evolved humanity, representing both our worst and best traits. This paper discusses that Hughes's poems use the crow as a metaphor for humanity. The paper relates that Hughes's work appears to be that of a human being experiencing the life of a raven-bird; a fallen creature, a trickster, and a graveyard for the bodies of those he eats.
From the Paper "It is in this poem in particular that one understands how the Crow might be seen as the shadow-self of human kind. He destroys everything around him in an attempt to destroy the "Black Beast" that the reader at least is becoming aware is the Crow himself. It is quite possible that humanity is the only species, which is its own worst enemy and predator. The greatest threats to humankind come from our own people, as the World Wars would have blatantly shown to Hughes. Repeatedly in the Crow poems, the bird looks at itself and its works in horror and sorrow. One can take examples from "The Black Beast" in which Crow hunts himself unknowingly in hunting the enemy, or from "Crow's Nerve Fails" in which he fully realizes the weight of murders that hang about his shoulders. Yet these are not the only examples."
