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.

Refers to a comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph
or lines in a poem. It is often comprised of more than one sentence and sometimes consists of a full paragraph.

All that inhabit this great earth,

Whatever be their rank or worth,
Are kindred and allied by birth,
And made of the same clay

(Henry W. Longfellow)

( /2 K / 2 I /1 C)

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.

Symbol Textual Evidence Meaning and Connection to Titas life

Fire That fire, in short, is its food. The fire symbolizes the ignition and longevity of
(pg 115) ones soul. It is what prolongs life, or the fuel to
the fire Titas food that nourished her soul was
the happiness she gained from her loved ones..

Box of Each of us is born with a box of The box of matches symbolizes skills, traits, and
Matches matches inside us but we cant the potential right from the start.Tita has the
strike them ourselves. potential to achieve greater altitudes and to be
(pg 115) able to enjoy what she does. The spark, or the
extra step it takes to reach her goals may be in
hands reach. Sometimes all it takes is that
special someone. I met you in the dark, you lit
me up - James Arthur

Birds They could do anything or The birds symbolizes her will and desire to
(Dove, become anything. They could achieve freedom. When her mother was still
Pigeon) turn into birds and fly into the air. alive, Tita had no freedom nonetheless any say
 (pg 109)
Candle The candle could be any kind of
food, music, caress, word, or
sound that engenders the
explosion that lights one of the
matches.
(Pg 115)
Herbs, She spent the entire afternoon at
Spices her father in laws bedside,
singing strange melodies and
applying curing herbs.
(pg 113)
Explosion Each person has to discover
what will set off those explosions
in order to live
(pg 115)
in her life. But since her mother had died, her
solitudinal body isnt chained to Mama Elenas
words of wisdom. She doesnt have to follow
specific set of rules anymore. They could turn
into birds and fly into the air.
The candle symbolizes pleasures, enthusiasm,
and passion in life other than love.For some
people, it could be music, food, or any other
things that makes one happy. It is the second
component to lighting the matches.
Herb symbolizes old tradition, meaning that the
old one doesnt need to be worse than the new
one. Just like Tita family old tradition, youngest
child need to watch after the well-beings of their
family.Titas love of the kitchen and her deep
connection with food is a major theme throughout
the story. Titas cooking has a profound outcome
on the other characters in the book as she begins
to understand that cooking is a reflection of her
feelings, and she has the power to affect the
people who consume her meals.
The explosion symbolizes the purpose,
motivation, propulsion in life. It is what we as
humans live for, the stages in between ones
starting point and goals. Tita lives in search of
her true love and hopes she can achieve what
she desired. In this case, Tita one day hopes to
get together with Pedro, her lover.
( /12 K /6 I /1 C)