Blog Task #4: Extended Metaphor

Discussion Questions

Answer the following set of questions. Pay attention to the keywords in the question stem to plan your
answer, and to the grading indications of each to ensure you are meeting the requirements.

1. Define the term extended metaphor. Research an example to support your answer.
- Extended metaphor is a comparison of two unlike things continuous throughout a paragraph or
series of sentences, all relates to a similar topic. Bobby Holloway says my imagination is a
three-hundred-ring circus. Currently I was in ring two hundred and ninety-nine, with elephants
dancing and clowns cart wheeling and tigers leaping through rings of fire. The time had come
to step back, leave the main tent, go buy some popcorn and a Coke, bliss out, cool down.
(Dean Koontz, Seize the Night. Bantam, 1999) This is an example of extended metaphor when
the author make a comparison between imagination and circus. At first this quote describe his
imagination is a three-hundred-ring circus. After the metaphor, its describing the circus that
used to describe imagination. Which classify this quote as an extended metaphor.

2. Locate the extended metaphor in chapter 6. Break the metaphor down into smaller symbolic units
below, and next to each symbol, suggest both the meaning of the symbol in relation to the metaphor,
as well as the pertinence to Titas life.
- An extended metaphor is used when John uses an experiment to teach Tita about life. The
extended metaphor is comparing box of matches with Tita's life.

Symbol Textual Evidence Meaning and Connection to Titas life

phosphorus -As you see, within our bodies
each of us has the elements
needed to produce phosphorus.
-For a long time phosphorus
was obtained by vigorously
heating the residue from
evaporating urine in an earth
retort the neck of which was
submerged in water.
-Phosphorus is used to make
matches.
- Phosphorus came from urine which is
something useless, but it could be turned
into gold which is something valuable.
- It will combine with oxygen to produce
flame in a specific temperature.
Phosphorus is like the love within
yourself and oxygen is like love within
others. They are ready to bond when the
time is right to produce love flme. Just
like Phosphorus can only bond with
oxygen create flame at the right
temperature.
- Phosphorus is like Titas love for others.
She is trying to find her true love when
there is a powerful emotion between
them. Just like phosphorus bonding with
oxygen at the right temperature.
 Oxygen In this case, the oxygen, for
example, would come from
the breath of the person you
love
Box of the My grandmother had a very
matches interesting theory; she said that
each of us is born with a box of
matches inside us but we can't
strike them all by ourselves
Matches You must of course take care to
light the matches one at a time.
If a powerful emotion should
ignite them all at once they
would produce a splendor so
dazzling that it would illuminate
far beyond what we can
normally see; and then a brilliant
tunnel would appear before our
eyes, revealing the path we
forgot the moment JUNE we
were born, and summoning us
to regain the divine origin we
had lost.
Damp If one doesn't find out in time
matches what will set off these
explosions, the box of matches
dampens, and not a single
match will ever be lighted.
Unfortunately, she had to admit
that her own matches were
damp and moldy. No one would
ever be able to light another one
again. And the saddest thing
was that she knew what set off
her explosions, but each time
she had managed to light a
match, it had persistently been
blown out. As if reading her
thoughts, John went on: that's
why it's important to keep your
distance from people who have
frigid breath.
- It represent the lovers love.
- Oxygen is required to make a fire with
phosphorus.
- In Titas case oxygen is like Pedro or
John. She needs someone to rely on and
experience romance with.
- Box of the matches represent life of
every person. It hold every events
happen in life just like the matches box
holds every unlighten matches.
- Box of the matches represent Titas life
- Matches represent events that happen in
life waiting to be light up one by one.
- Those events could be many things for
example in Titas life one of the matches
could be finding her true love. That
match is waiting to be light someday.
- The dazzling fire came from the match
that Tita ignite will be splendid and
dazzling brightly if a powerful emotion
ignites it. This quote is emphasizing
Titas romance, and explaining that the
more love they have for each other will a
greater sparkle which is be a better
romance.
- Damp matches represent events that
couldnt happen anymore, because of
either restriction or her life is coming to
end.
- In Titas life she is scared all the matches
will be dampen, and not a single match
will ever be lighted. Titas afraid her
matches are damp because shes being
restricted by Mama Elena. If she try to
light her match is will be blown out by
Mama Elena. She loss freedom causing
the matches to damp.
- Later on John further explain thats why it
is important to stay further away from
people who will blow the match such as
Mama Elena to prevent Titas matches to
be damp.
Candle the candle could be any kind of
food, music, caress, word, or
sound that engenders the
explosion that lights one of the
matches.
- Candle represent other pleasure in life.
- In Titas life candle represent food, her
cooking is one of the things that kept her
moving forward.