Question

figurative language - rituals of memory
figurative language plays an important role in our understanding of the text
ituals of memory.\ kimberly blaeser uses
a variety of figurative language, such as metaphor, allusion, and idiom, to increase the reader’s understanding of the text’s
important concept of memory.
metaphor
define
metaphor:
for each of the following metaphors, explain the meaning of the comparison beyond what is being literally said. the first
one has been done for you as an example
\sit down montag. watch. delicately, like the petals of a
flower. light the first page, light the second page. each
becomes a black butterfly. beautiful, eh?\

• fahrenheit 451

this metaphor is referring to burning books. in the
metaphor, the burning pages are compared to being \a
black butterfly\, insinuating some twisted sense of beauty.
a butterfly is a beautiful creature, but the color black
combined with the image of the butterfly allows the reader
to understand that this action is meant to signify beauty in
disaster.
\the sun was a toddler insistently refusing to go to bed
it was past eight thirty and still light.\

• the fault in our stars

\she was a mind floating in an ocean of confusion\

• the face on the milk carton

\fire away, fire away
you shoot me down but i wont fall
i am titanium\

• \titanium\

apply your knowledge of metaphors to the following example from
ituals of memory.\ in your response, please explain
what is being compared, and then explain how that comparison transforms the mood of the text.
\because her locks had never been cut, the loops never
broken, her fingers became entangled in the
loops... perhaps because it seems a fine metaphor for the
looped relationships of family, place, and community, the
innate patterns of ourselves that always keep us returning.

Explanation:

Metaphor Definition:

A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unrelated things, stating one is the other, to highlight a shared quality or meaning without using "like" or "as".

Metaphor Analyses:

1. "The sun was a toddler insistently refusing to go to bed / It was past eight thirty and still light."

This compares the sun to a stubborn toddler. Toddlers resist bedtime, just as the sun is lingering instead of setting, emphasizing the unusual lateness of the daylight and a playful, frustrated tone about the extended light.

1. "She was a mind floating in an ocean of confusion."

This compares the character's confused state to a mind adrift in an ocean. Oceans are vast, overwhelming, and easy to get lost in, so the metaphor conveys that her confusion is deep, all-consuming, and leaves her feeling disoriented and without a clear path.

1. "Fire away, fire away / You shoot me down but I won't fall / I am titanium"

This compares the speaker to titanium. Titanium is an extremely strong, durable metal that resists damage, so the metaphor means the speaker is emotionally and mentally resilient, unable to be harmed or defeated by others' attacks or criticism.

1. "Because her locks had never been cut, the loops never broken, her fingers became entangled in the loops—perhaps because it seems a fine metaphor for the looped relationships of family, place, and community, the innate patterns of ourselves that always keep us returning."

This compares uncut hair loops to family/community relationships. The tangled, unbroken hair loops mirror the interconnected, persistent, inescapable bonds of family and community—these relationships are woven into a person's identity, just as the hair is part of her body, and they create a pull that always brings a person back to their roots, fostering a warm, nostalgic, grounded mood that emphasizes the comfort and permanence of these connections.

Answer:

Metaphor Definition:

A metaphor directly equates two unrelated things to show shared traits.

Metaphor Breakdowns:

1. "The sun was a toddler...": The sun = a stubborn toddler; it emphasizes the lingering, unyielding late daylight with a playful, exasperated tone.
2. "She was a mind floating...": The character's confusion = an ocean; it shows her confusion is vast, overwhelming, and disorienting.
3. "I am titanium": The speaker = titanium; it conveys extreme emotional/mental resilience against harm.
4. "her fingers became entangled in the loops...": Uncut hair loops = family/community bonds; the metaphor creates a warm, nostalgic mood, framing these relationships as permanent, interconnected, and rooted in identity that always draws people back.