An extended metaphor is a comparison developed across several lines or a whole poem. In a poem about starting a new school, the corridor is “a throat that swallows names” and the lunch hall is “a sea of trays”, where the speaker finds “an island”.
As a poem develops, the metaphor may change. The same poem ends with a friend building “a bridge”: the speaker moves from an island to connection.
To interpret a metaphor, ask what the two things have in common, what feelings it suggests and how it connects to the poem's message.
Worked example
What does “I find an island at the table's end” suggest?
- An island is cut off by water.
- The speaker sits alone, separated from others.
Answer:The speaker feels isolated and lonely.
Key words
- extended metaphor
- a comparison developed over several lines
- interpret
- explain the meaning
- connotation
- the feelings and ideas a word suggests
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: RL.8.4