Metaphorical flight

An extended metaphor is a comparison that lasts throughout a poem, a play or a story. In

‘Flight’ the metaphor concerns the birds and the human characters in the story. The title is
also part of this metaphor.

Complete the table below adding your own thoughts and ideas about why the writer
chose certain words and the effect she wanted to create.

Evidence from the text The point being made:

The writer wants to compare the flight of the
birds to the metaphorical ‘flight’ of the
The title of the story ‘Flight’.
granddaughter as she moves away from the
family and grows up.

‘The light happy sound mingled with the

crooning of the birds, and his anger
mounted.’ (line 24)

‘… his fingers curling like claws into his

palm.’ (line 28)

‘He deliberately held out his wrist for the

bird to take flight, and caught it again at
the moment it spread its wings …’
(lines 18–19)

‘… resenting the absorbed cooing birds ’

(line 50)

‘ “Now, now,” she crooned.’ (line 84)

‘…he lifted the bird on his wrist, and

watched it soar. A whirr and a spatter of
wings and a cloud of birds rose into the
evening …’ (lines 127–129)

‘ “You must shut it up for a bit … until it

knows this is its home.” ’ (line 116)

‘The garden was all a fluster and a flurry

of returning birds.’ (line 144)

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