What are Metaphors?
Grade 12th Grade · ELA · 45 min
What's Included
Learning Objective
I can analyze the effect of metaphors in literary texts.
Warm-Up Video
TED-Ed · 5:39
The art of the metaphor - Jane Hirshfield
Guided Notes
3 key concepts
- 1
Metaphors describe something by comparing it to something else, using imagination and the senses to create a vivid image.
- 2
Unlike similes, which use 'like' or 'as' to make a comparison, metaphors let you feel things directly, as in Shakespeare's 'All the world's a stage'.
- 3
Metaphors aren't puzzles with hidden meanings, but rather a way to feel and know something differently, giving words a way to go beyond their own meaning.
Practice Questions
10 questions · Multiple choice & Short answer
Exit Ticket
Quick comprehension check
“In Langston Hughes' poem "Mother to Son," life is compared to a wrecked house with splinters and tacks. Analyze the effect of this metaphor on the reader. What does this comparison convey about the mother's life experiences beyond the literal image of a damaged house?”
Teacher Guide
Get the complete package:
- Answer keys for all questions
- Differentiation strategies
- Extension activities
- Printable student handouts
