Hunting for metaphors
June 7, 2010 6:55 AM Subscribe
Help me find a good metaphor or literary allusion for something that reflects whatever you'd like to see in it.
You often hear President Obama described the way Virginia Postrel does here: "During the campaign people projected onto Barack Obama whatever they wanted in a president or even in a country."
Is there a good metaphor or literary (perhaps mythological) allusion for that type of thing? The best my friend and I were able to come up with was Harry Potter's Mirror of Erised, which shows "not your face but your heart's desire."
Can you think of any others?
You often hear President Obama described the way Virginia Postrel does here: "During the campaign people projected onto Barack Obama whatever they wanted in a president or even in a country."
Is there a good metaphor or literary (perhaps mythological) allusion for that type of thing? The best my friend and I were able to come up with was Harry Potter's Mirror of Erised, which shows "not your face but your heart's desire."
Can you think of any others?
There's Narcissus's pond, but I'm not sure it's exactly what you're trying to get at...
There's the Maltese Falcon, which isn't really anything in-itself, but everyone wants it because everyone else wants it.
You may also be interested in the Kuleshov Effect.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 7:06 AM on June 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
There's the Maltese Falcon, which isn't really anything in-itself, but everyone wants it because everyone else wants it.
You may also be interested in the Kuleshov Effect.
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 7:06 AM on June 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
how about "In the clouds... you"
there's also those Rorschach/ inkblot tests..... "vivid as an inkblot"
posted by mrmarley at 7:20 AM on June 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
there's also those Rorschach/ inkblot tests..... "vivid as an inkblot"
posted by mrmarley at 7:20 AM on June 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
"blank slate"? (onto which people can project whatever they want)
or a blank screen
posted by Solon and Thanks at 7:48 AM on June 7, 2010
or a blank screen
posted by Solon and Thanks at 7:48 AM on June 7, 2010
It's not exactly the kind of literary allusion you are talking about, but Being There is basically an extended take on this phenomenon through the character of Chance. Although some people projected negative traits onto his character (such as being a spy or crafty business man) rather than positive ones, the fact that he is a completely blank slate and never says or does anything of substance is key to all the events in the story (including him being considered as a good candidate for President), and in all cases the other characters believe what they want to believe about him.
posted by burnmp3s at 8:15 AM on June 7, 2010
posted by burnmp3s at 8:15 AM on June 7, 2010
Al Capp's Schmoo imagery has become a cutesy twentieth-century way to talk about seeing what you want to see. You might allude more traditionally to blind men and an elephant.
posted by cgc373 at 8:28 AM on June 7, 2010
posted by cgc373 at 8:28 AM on June 7, 2010
Ah, and burnmp3s reminded me of the Kuleshov Effect, where a blank-faced actor's image is intercut among other images, and people see different emotions on the same actor's face based on the contextual images.
posted by cgc373 at 8:33 AM on June 7, 2010
posted by cgc373 at 8:33 AM on June 7, 2010
Frak. Pickman's Next Top Model already has the Kuleshov Effect covered.
posted by cgc373 at 8:41 AM on June 7, 2010
posted by cgc373 at 8:41 AM on June 7, 2010
I find myself thinking of the orchid that has evolved to mimic the wasp species that pollinates it.
Also, the Goldilocks effect - not too hot, not too cold - in this case, perfect for everyone.
posted by schmichael at 9:48 AM on June 7, 2010
Also, the Goldilocks effect - not too hot, not too cold - in this case, perfect for everyone.
posted by schmichael at 9:48 AM on June 7, 2010
Well, there's an old adage that says you can interpret Shakespeare, the Bible and Virgil to mean anything you'd like.
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:00 AM on June 7, 2010
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:00 AM on June 7, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for all the responses, folks! There's a lot of good references in here. I totally forgot about the Rorschach test metaphor, which is very close. But I'd never heard of the Kuleshov effect - that's fascinating.
posted by grrarrgh00 at 10:47 AM on June 7, 2010
posted by grrarrgh00 at 10:47 AM on June 7, 2010
Mirror of ideals? Less geeky than Mirror of Erised, and conveys the idea without needing to know about Harry Potter.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:57 AM on June 7, 2010
posted by filthy light thief at 10:57 AM on June 7, 2010
Film critic Pauline Kael wrote about Days of Heaven: "The film is an empty Christmas tree: you can hang all your dumb metaphors on it."
posted by argybarg at 12:44 PM on June 7, 2010
posted by argybarg at 12:44 PM on June 7, 2010
How about, "If triangles had a god, he would have three sides." (- Montesquieu)
posted by LauraJ at 3:51 PM on June 7, 2010
posted by LauraJ at 3:51 PM on June 7, 2010
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posted by TrarNoir at 7:00 AM on June 7, 2010