extended metaphor

American  

[ik-sten-did met-uh-fawr] / ɪkˈstɛn dɪd ˈmɛt əˌfɔr /

noun

1. a metaphor introduced and then further developed throughout all or part of a literary work, especially a poem.

   Robert Frost uses two roads as an extended metaphor in “The Road Not Taken.”

2. a literary work that contains an extended metaphor.

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Usage

What does extended metaphor mean? An extended metaphor is a metaphor in a literary work, such as a novel or poem, that isn’t just used in one line but is extended over multiple lines or throughout the work.A metaphor is the applying of a word or phrase to something that’s not literally related in order to suggest a resemblance, as in She’s a walking dictionary (she’s not literally a dictionary, but her vocabulary resembles one).Extended metaphors use this kind of comparison, but in a drawn-out and often complex way. When an author uses an extended metaphor, they will keep adding to it, developing it, or making reference to it. This can occur over more than one line, over multiple paragraphs, or even over the course of the entire work.Extended metaphors are especially found in poetry and novels, but they can also be used in song lyrics, movies, speeches, and even nonfiction—anywhere metaphors are used.

Etymology

Origin of extended metaphor

First recorded in 1710–20

Example Sentences

As to “Buffy” itself, vamps and demons and the occasional tragic death of a beloved character aside, the series, which debuted in 1997 and changed the nature of television teenage storytelling, is at heart a comedy, an extended metaphor for the ordinary horrors of high school.

From Los Angeles Times

As the plot swings between slightly overbearing teen angst and extrapolations into quantum physics — itself an extended metaphor for the angst-inducing, open-ended possibilities of adolescence — the art in-jokes feel like a concession to adult aesthetes.

From New York Times

Time for an extended metaphor about Ted's southern youth.

From Salon

Time for an extended metaphor about Ted's southern youth.

From Salon

He has turned his inspirational story into an extended metaphor for racial progress and collective triumph over adversity.

From Washington Post