Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with metaphor

A metaphor for the Web

fifigyuri — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:00:55 -0800

If could compare the Web to something tangible what would it be? Do you find any metaphor suiting the Web as it is, as it developed and what it might become?

What's the term for the kind of metaphor King uses?

Janey Complainy — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:32:12 -0800

Is there a term for the particular type of metaphor that Martin Luther King Jr. used repeatedly in his "I Have a Dream" speech? I'm thinking about phrases like "long night of . . . captivity," "withering flames of injustice," "lonely island of poverty," "vast ocean of prosperity," and so on. There's an overt link here between the metaphor's vehicle and its tenor through the word "of," but the phrase isn't a simile, per se. There must be a term for this, but I'll be darned if I can find it anywhere. Please help!

A perfect phrase for traffic

Brzht — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 10:12:46 -0800

When you're going against traffic, is that bad? Of course not, even though it sounds bad. And if you're going with traffic -- that's bad, even though it sounds good. Confusion is built in. Here's the QX: Years ago I heard a perfect phrase for this. Something like "If we leave at three, traffic's our friend." Maybe that was it. But has anybody ever heard something along these lines. Thx!

LiteraryFilter: Meaning of "Buried Talents" by Richard Matheson

bangitliketmac — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 13:58:53 -0800

I recently read the short story "Buried Talents" by Richard Matheson (of "I Am Legend" fame (Amazon link). What does it mean? Short summary: a strange man is uncannily successful at beating a carnival game; when he leaves, the man running the game (who had been getting flustered), appears very ill. Extended summary: a strange man in a dark coat beats a carnival game by consistently tossing ping pong balls into a container. The fat man running the game gets flustered as the man keeps on winning; he won't take a prize and instead just wants more ping pong balls. As the game progresses, the fat man sweats more and more and gets into worse and worse shape; his voice gets a bit faint and it seems like he's having a heart attack or something. The strange tall man eventually gets shooed away by by the fat carnival man, and leaves. The crowd supports the strange man who keeps winning, and is angry when the carnival man makes him stop playing, and is also angry to discover that most of the "prizes" aren't really available, they are "display only".

When the strange man leaves, the prize of steak knives are gone. The fat carnival man can barely utter a whisper as he offers a chance to play the game to some kid. He says "God" and doubles over in pain.

My theory is that the strange man is a metaphor for death and as he keeps landing the ping pong balls in the container, he is taking life away from the fat carnival man. He may be punishing the man for his somewhat unethical carnival game, which is designed to attract players but not really to reward winners. The "God" comment and the steak knives are obviously important. Also, the fat carnival man at some point says he's running an "honest game" and the tall man better not be trying anything shady. I'm not sure how the title ties in other than the fat man probably gets "buried" shortly after the tall man's display of talent with the ping pong balls. I think there is more meaning to the story than just a simple "death" metaphor.

Thoughts?

Swing the pig iron hammer!

ostranenie — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:10:43 -0800

Just exactly what does "swing the big-eyed rabbit" (as sung by the Cramps) mean? I like this song by the Cramps, and I'm guessing it's some kind of sleazy metaphor for something sexual, but nobody I've talked to seems know exactly what. (It just seems a little too "on the nose" to assume they're referring to a, ahem, male unit, but maybe I'm just reading too much into it.) The lyrics are here if anyone cares to attempt to decipher them.

I'm thinking it might be some kind of in-slang like "do the dog" (work hard at something) ala Kim Fowley but I can't seem to find any definition online. I see that it's also the title of a book written in 1953, but I can't find any information on said book.

How to craft a programmer's lens?

Burhanistan — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 19:54:37 -0800

Help me think in terms of programming metaphors. Recently I noticed when looking at certain situations relating to people and their respective environments, I was trying to distill aspects of them into software/hardware/computing metaphors. My knowledge of this field is at best intermediate, and being a lowly systems administrator I have no practical experience of coding or developing. I don't want to learn to code or develop, but I do want to read a few books detailing various programming models and languages that are not advanced comp. sci. texts but are above layperson level. Ostensibly, this would help me to build some mental frameworks to juxtapose to real-world situations. This is really borne out of my need to keep poking my brains to keep them from going to sleep. Thanks for any books, practical lessons, thought exercises, websites, etc that you suggest!

Wolves at the Door

ZenMasterThis — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 07:59:26 -0800

Wolf imagery and depression. References? Pretty sure I read or heard a discussion by a woman (?) a few months back about wolves (at the door?) as a symbol for depression, but I can't find it anywhere. Am I imagining this, or did I really read / hear it somewhere? (I'm aware of the REM tune "Wolves, Lower", but that's not what I'm looking for) Thanks!

Examples of 'The Infinite' in Myth and Their Effect on Conditions of Truth

0bvious — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 09:32:00 -0800

I am searching for examples of The Infinite, or the immeasurably large, in our mythologies and archetypes. I am also interested in the categories of Truth which came out of the emergence of Western, ontological thought. Does the trust in a rationally conceivable reality deny us the infinity of the mythological realm? By rooting ourselves in the present, and denying atemporal mythologies, do we also deny the infinite origins from where we came? Mythologically rooted cultures do not usually posit a beginning of time. Humans exist as part of a holistic cycle which spans back and forward into the infinite realm of mythology. There can really be no 'truth' in this perennial world of myth, where the spiritual and 'unseen' realm is just as 'real' as our present state of being.

Western 'truth' (ontologically defined rationality) denies the holism of all things (as do the Monotheistic religions), actively attributing identity to patterns perceived in the world we can see (or to God). This taxonomy or identification of patterns creates a false belief in a fully formed reality - a 'truth'. This taxonomic understanding is to simulacrum what philosophical enquiry was to Plato's shadows in the cave. In consequence, our distinction from The Infinite, from the realm of myth, qualifies us as distinct from reality - we live the simulation, not the absolute.

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I am just going off on one here, to outline vaguely what the forms of infinity, myth and ontology have had on our development (/evolution?).

Please feel free to agree, disagree or add to my examples.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to your responses.

Analogy whiz

Mach3avelli — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:09:39 -0800

What's the difference between a metaphor, allegory, simile, and analogy? I need closure on this. I've been using them all interchangeably all my life without anybody correcting me. I've tried google, but all I get are definition-style answers. I'm a pragmatic learner, so if someone could walk me through the differences, I'd appreciate it.

we live in a yellow submarine, we drink red red wine, and we sing the blues

twistofrhyme — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:44:44 -0800

suggest some fun, upbeat, likeable songs that mention specific colours? i'm doing a gallery/science fair type exhibit about how humans perceive colour, and as a sort of running gag, i wanted to play about 1.5 hr's worth of songs that prominently mention the names of various colours in their lyrics. the audience is smart, savvy people age 25-60. the mood i want is happy, sunny, bright, energetic, playful yet professional, and fun.

some songs i have so far that i think will suit the mode:
yellow submarine (beatles)
the blues are still blue (belle & sebastian)
99 red balloons (nena)
brown eyed girl (who's that by, james taylor? i forget, but i have it)
what a wonderful world (louis armstrong)

more suggestions would be so helpful!
thanks, hive!

I need a word!

tabubilgirl — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:13:44 -0800

I need a word! I am looking for a word that means a place you go and curl up to relax and recuperate after a meal. A comfortable digestive-y sort of place.
Like lions curling up in the shade of a tree, all tumbled on top of each other with full bellies.
Or possibly the feel of BEING in such a place.

Any takers?

Strangling the monster in the crib

commander_cool — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:08:46 -0800

What are the origins of the idiom "strangle the monster in the crib"?

"Mistah Kurtz - he dead."

numinous — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 21:55:30 -0800

[Man’s-Journey-to-find-himself-Filter]: I am looking for works of film and fiction that employ the imagery of traversing a difficult path/passageway as a metaphor for man’s inner journey toward connection with his unconscious shadow (in the Jungian sense of the term). The setting/fictional location of the work specifically needs be a narrow and dark passageway through which our character must physically travel.

The most obvious uses (to me) of this motif are employed by Joseph Conrad in Heart of Darkness and, consequently, by Coppola in Apocalypse Now.

What other modern (let’s say work from 1850 onward) examples of this theme in film and literature can you think of?

(I would also appreciate a brief explination of the scene if the work mentioned is particularly obscure.)

What is a good metaphor and a good analogy for this phenomenon?

k8t — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 17:54:54 -0800

I need a metaphor and an analogy for an application of social network theory. I am terrible at thinking of metaphors and analogies and now I need to create both for a proposal. I am using social network theory and social network analysis to explain the phenomenon of favors given (in both formal and informal ways) in adult life to and from classmates from Soviet secondary schools (15-20 kids together from age 11-18 all subjects, all day, every year). When they grow up they tend to hook each other up with jobs, etc., to put it simply.

So, now I need a metaphor and an analogy to describe an institutionally-created (i.e. non-family but informal) network where individual members benefit greatly from being in the network in a favor system.

Any ideas? ACK! And a special request, I like animal and nature metaphors and analogies!

I am not teh smarts.

skrike — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 09:38:33 -0800

What are some good image metaphors for "intelligence"? Lightbulbs, brains, computers, networks.... etc... looking for concepts, suggestions or stock images. Just brainstorming for a project. Thanks!

The Protagonist: An Overview

0bvious — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 22:16:33 -0800

The Protagonist: What can you tell me? I am fascinated by the concept of 'The Protagonist'. Whether this be in fiction, mythology or used as a metaphor for how one perceives oneself (your 'life' being the narrative within which you exist) I desire a few new angles on this ancient human construct.

- Do you know of any theories / research / writings on the protagonist?
- What books / movies / myths etc. have you come across from which a protagonist is COMPLETELY absent?
- Or any such fiction/mythology with an interesting spin on the traditional protagonist?

Basically anything which comes to mind would be fascinating, thanks a lot...

The Anthropology of Metaphor?

Aghast. — Fri, 19 May 2006 18:22:40 -0800

Where can I find more writing about metaphor? I vaguely remember reading something about how, when machines became ubiquitous, people began understanding their lives in terms of machines. I'm looking for that sort of thing. I'm enjoying Nietzsche's discussion of metaphor in "Truth and Lying in a Non-Moral Sense," de Man's discussion of metaphor in "Semiology and Rhetoric," Lakoff and Johnson's Metaphors We Live By. Any further recommendations would be nice. Cross-cultural examinations, such as how (or whether) different environments yield different metaphors which then yield different concepts and ideologies, would be especially helpful to me.

A great chimerical epithet?

kenko — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 13:56:02 -0800

In "What Metaphors Mean" Donald Davidson refers to a critic who called Tolstoy "a great moralizing infant". Who was that critic, and in what work was Tolstoy so called?

Sex Songs Sisguised as Food

captainscared — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 14:29:37 -0800

MusicFilter: I am looking for songs of any genre that use food as a metaphor for sex. The two songs that I could come up with are Mississippi John Hurt's Candyman and Van Halen's Ice Cream Man. Thanks so much.

Should metaphor be taken from photography?

the fire you left me — Thu, 01 Apr 2004 18:09:04 -0800

Should metaphor be taken from photography, or should photos only be approached (or critiqued) as realist?