Extended Metaphor Exercise
An extended metaphor is when a writer compares two unlike things and takes the
comparison all the way through the piece of writing from beginning to end.
Emily Dickinson’s poem “Fame is a Bee” is a good example of an extended metaphor.
Fame is a bee (1788)
BY EMILY DICKINSON
1
Fame is a bee.
It has a song—
3
It has a sting—
4
Ah, too, it has a wing.
2
The metaphor starts in line one when Dickinson compares fame to a bee, a beautiful insect that
can also be a pest. She then points out the positive side of fame, which is its “song,” and also the
bad side of fame, which she likens to the “sting” (line 3). Finally, in the last line, she notes that
fame is fleeting and flies away eventually when she says, “It has wing.” Because she continues
the metaphor comparing fame to a bee from beginning to end, this is an extended metaphor.
Extended Metaphors are similar to what happens in a geometry proof or a lawyer’s guide to
proving the evidence of a case:
Like a geometry proof:
Start with what is given = TAG sentence
Then, define what you are proving = Definition of what’s being proved
Give evidence = concrete details/quotes
Conclusion/Thus: = concluding sentence
Like a lawyer’s proof:
Start with introduction to topic = TAG sentence
Then, define the law and what is to be proven = Definition of what’s being proved
Give evidence = concrete details/quotes
Conclusion/Thus: = concluding sentence
Name: ______________________
Teacher:_____________________
Class: __________, Period: _____
Date: ____________
Mildred D. Taylor also writes several extended metaphor’s in the novel Roll of
Thunder, Hear My Cry.
In the passage below describing Mr. Morrison, the author uses an extended metaphor. To what
does she compare Mr. Morrison? Why is the comparison effective?
“The man was a human tree in height, towering high above Papa’s six feet two inches.
The long trunk of his massive body bulged with muscles, and his skin, of the deepest
ebony, was partially scarred upon his face and neck, as if by fire. Deep lifelines were cut
into his face and his hair was splotched with gray, but his eyes were clear and
penetrating” (Taylor 34).
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In the passage below, David Logan is describing the Logan’s land to Cassie. Mildred D. Taylor
uses an extended metaphor to explain the relationship of the land to the Logan’s. To what does
she compare in the Metaphor? Why is the comparison effective?
"You see that fig tree over yonder, Cassie? Them other trees all around . . . that oak and walnut,
they're a lot bigger and they take up more room and give so much shade they almost overshadow
that little ole fig. But that fig tree's got roots that run deep, and it belongs in that yard as much as
that oak and walnut. It keeps on blooming, bearing good fruit year after year, knowing all the
time it'll never get as big as them other trees. Just keeps on growing and doing what it gotta do. It
don't give up. It give up, it'll die. There's a lesson to be learned from that little tree, Cassie girl,
'cause we're like it. We keep doing what we gotta, and we don't give up. We can't" (Taylor 205).
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Name: ______________________
Teacher:_____________________
Class: __________, Period: _____
Date: ____________
KEY
Mildred D. Taylor also writes several extended Metaphor’s in the novel Roll of
Thunder, Hear My Cry.
In the passage below describing Mr. Morrison, the author uses an extended metaphor. To what
does she compare Mr. Morrison? Why is the comparison effective?
“The man was a human tree in height, towering high above Papa’s six feet two inches.
The long trunk of his massive body bulged with muscles, and his skin, of the deepest
ebony, was partially scarred upon his face and neck, as if by fire. Deep lifelines were cut
into his face and his hair was splotched with gray, but his eyes were clear and
penetrating” (Taylor 34).
The metaphor compares Mr. Morrison to a solid, old tree.
Explanations may vary. Example: By comparing Mr. Morrison’s body
to the trunk, the author accentuates his height and sturdy girth.
Further emphasizing his stature is the comparison of his gray hair and
blue eyes to the clouds and the sky. His sturdiness and stature make
him an imposing, immoveable force. The scars on his skin resemble
the bark of the tree, and his face shows lifelines much like the growth
lines on a tree trunk. Like a weathered tree, Mr. Morrison has
experienced many changing events that enable him to act with
wisdom.
"You see that fig tree over yonder, Cassie? Them other trees all around . . . that oak and walnut,
they're a lot bigger and they take up more room and give so much shade they almost overshadow
that little ole fig. But that fig tree's got roots that run deep, and it belongs in that yard as much as
that oak and walnut. It keeps on blooming, bearing good fruit year after year, knowing all the
time it'll never get as big as them other trees. Just keeps on growing and doing what it gotta do. It
don't give up. It give up, it'll die. There's a lesson to be learned from that little tree, Cassie girl,
'cause we're like it. We keep doing what we gotta, and we don't give up. We can't" (Taylor 205).
The comparison between the fig tree and the Logan family expresses
their view about their right as people, and their place in society. The
Logan’s have had a desire for a better life, and have made numerous
attempts to achieve this.
Extended Metaphor Creative Writing
Directions: You will be creating a poem that describes you using an extended metaphor. You
need to compare yourself to ONE thing and extend the comparison all the way down the poem (8
lines minimum).
The metaphor you choose can take the form of an animal (e.g., an elephant, a fox, an ostrich), a
machine (e.g., a bulldozer, a tank, a computer), something in nature (e.g., the ocean, a starry
night, the sun), or something else. Any metaphor you choose will be correct if you support your
assertion by continuing the metaphor all the way down.
1. Lisa as many thongs as you can think of that describe you:
Appearance
Actions
Personality
The way you
think
Your place in
the world
2. Now… using the personal characteristics you noted, think of ONE thing that has similarities to
you:
3. List the things you and the item you noted have in common:
4. Create your poem. There is an example poem on the back of this sheet. You may follow the
example or be creative and create your own format. Use correct spelling, punctuation, and
grammar. You MUST illustrate your poem either hand drawn or computer generated. Final
copy due: ________________________
Example Extended Metaphor Poem:
I am a bight, silver, shining moon
I am a bright, silver, shining moon
Lighting the way when full
Glowing in various degrees when waxing and waning
Rejuvenating when old and renewed
I keep people in sync with my gravitational pull
Pulling them out to sea in the day
Pushing them back to land by night
Relinquishing my tidal might, ensuring a ride of
delight
I am part of something bigger
Keeping the path steady everyday
Following the same routine
Shining among the stars
I am a bright, silver, shining moon