Of course, our job as screenwriters is to be as original as possible. Comparisons to Avoid Using Dead MetaphorsĪ dead metaphor can generally be thought of as something cliché. Let’s remove the vehicle: “His running was elegant he galloped across the finish line.” The verb “gallop” tells us that he is running like a horse without needing to explicitly state it.Īlternatively, we can remove the tenor: “His running was elegant, a horse galloping across the finish line.” We’ve removed “he,” but we understand that the horse is non-literal. Take this sentence: “His running was elegant he was a horse galloping across the finish line.” One way to build an implied comparison like this is to try removing one of the elements (the tenor or the vehicle). The implied comparison is sometimes even more efficient, creating an image without even mentioning it. Implied metaphors can be used similarly to their more conventional cousins, creating a vivid image in a reader’s head without having to use an exhaustive description. This subtype can be difficult to spot because it’s deceivingly omnipresent - we use them all the time in our everyday conversations. If you’re going to use a metaphor without realizing it, it’s probably an implied metaphor. Implicit Comparison Using Implied Metaphors But whether your story becomes an allegory or not, using a controlling metaphor is great for speaking to the bigger ideas without, you know, actually speaking them. Of course, it’s a fine line, and one which is often blurred ( The Matrix, for example, works as both). If she was just turning into a red panda, then the film would be closer to an allegory. In Turning Red, Mei is actually going through puberty. But while an allegory’s entire story is supposed to represent something else, a controlling metaphor is still operating as a figurative comparison within the story.
Of course, this is directly related to the themes of the film as well – growing up is scary, just like how turning into a giant animal is also scary.Ĭontrolling metaphors are closely related to allegories.
If you thought extended metaphors were helpful in adding to your themes, you ain’t seen nothing yet. What if you really extend your comparison, beyond just a few sentences? Well then you just might have a controlling metaphor on your hands.
Metaphor Examples Using Controlling Metaphors Making use of an extended metaphor can strengthen your theme without explicitly stating it. You might have also noticed that this speech is embedded in an allegory – Sam is comparing their situation to the “great stories,” and thereby outlining his and Frodo’s journey as one that will follow a similar arc.Īs a screenwriter, the number one criticism you’ll hear is show, don’t tell. Note all the different ways he invokes this comparison throughout his speech.īy using an extended metaphor, Sam’s monologue also draws on the story's themes of perseverance through hard times, and the power of keeping hope. Sam is using an extended metaphor of darkness and brightness as a comparison for the hardships he and Frodo are facing.
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