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“The Metaphor” and “Marigolds”

Name

Institution

Course

Professor

Date
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“The Metaphor” and “Marigolds”

The Metaphor by Budge Wilson

Theme

Budge Wilson's main theme in his short story is that humans have a lot of perspectives,

interactions, and conversations in their life which lead to significant lessons that lead to self-

realization. 

Setting

The series is set in a town in the late 1960s. It takes place in middle and secondary

schools.

Conflict 

Charlotte is captured in the crossfire between Miss Hancock and her mom. Charlotte tries

to discover her real identity throughout the narrative.

Characters 

Miss Hancock

Charlotte`s Mother

Charlotte

Plot

1. Inciting Incident: Miss Hancock focuses on teaching Charlotte and the other

classmates a writing technique known as the metaphor. Charlotte adores this idea and

employs it in her writing about her mom. 

2. Rising Action:  Charlotte completes primary school and begins high school with a

mindset resembling her mother's. Charlotte is surprised to see Miss Hancock as her

English teacher once more.

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Miss Hancock no longer teaches with the same zeal and joy that she once did.

3. Climax: Miss Hancock is tragically killed when she is run over by a bus. 

3. Falling Action: Charlotte's mom is unconcerned about how she believes.

3. Resolution: Charlotte began to compose a metaphor about Miss Hancock

Figurative Language Devices

 Charlotte's point of view (first person) 

 Told by the storyteller using "I" or "we" 

Elements of Narrative

Irony

This is ironic because you'd think Charlotte’s be overjoyed to see Ms. Hancock again,

but she isn't.

Imagery

The narrative’s imagery comes when Charlotte starts thinking of herself to be responsible

for the death of her teacher. 

Was there a commonality between texts or a pattern in the texts? What was it?

There was a commonality when the main character Charlotte starts writing metaphors

about her mother in her childhood and then at the end of the story she starts writing

metaphors for her teacher in middle school. This grammar rule of writing a metaphor is

common in the story as she develops from childhood to adulthood. 

How do these texts relate to the course’s bildungsroman focus?

The common metaphor writing relates to the bildungsroman in a way when the main

character writes it in her childhood and then again in her adulthood describing her

phycological changes from childhood to adulthood. 

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How do these texts relate to the course’s main inquiry question: how do the texts with

which we engage affect and influence us and our place in the world?

The main character of the story learned about metaphors from her favorite teacher in her

childhood. She decided to write to her mother. Later in adulthood, she writes them for her

teacher because she taught her the metaphor. In this way, metaphor writing is the favorite

work of the protagonist which she learned influenced her and her place in the world. 

Marigolds By Eugenia W. Collier

Theme

Poverty, life experience, and the connection between innocence and kindness are among

the themes explored.

Setting

"Marigolds" is set in a rural African-American society in the 1930s, a period of racial

discrimination, economic hardship, and fewer opportunities.

Conflict 

Lizabeth versus herself psychically with youthfulness, kindness, going through puberty,

and taking accountability is the internal conflict. Lizabeth is involved in external conflict, as

are poverty and adversity during her childhood.

Characters 

 Lizabeth

 Miss Lottie 

 Joey 

Plot
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Lizabeth is very immature at the start of the story. She and her peers tease Miss Lottie

and destroy her marigolds. Lizabeth destroys all of the marigolds in Miss Lottie's house. In

the current time, Lizabeth, who has grown young, realizes that marigolds are a sign of hope

and she has planted for herself.

Figurative Language Devices

 Metaphor

 Simile

 Personification

Elements of Narrative

This story employs flashbacks, foreshadowing, and juxtaposition to establish the

protagonist's voice and reveal a specific point of view. 

Was there a commonality between texts or a pattern in the texts? What was it?

The marigolds show the commonality when they become a hope for Lizabeth and 

Miss Lottie. 

How do these texts relate to the course’s bildungsroman focus?

While passing through the stages of childhood to adulthood, Lizabeth realizes that

marigolds which they used to destroy, are a hope. Same thing with the older mature woman

Miss Lottie.

How do these texts relate to the course’s main inquiry question: how do the texts with

which we engage affect and influence us and our place in the world?

The lesson learned by Lizabeth by destroying the marigolds influenced her life. The

lessons and texts made her grow her marigolds.

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References

W. Collier, E. (1969). Marigolds. Goodreads.

Wilson, B. (1983). The Metaphor. Chatelaine.