Metaphors and Tropes
The Cat’s Table.
Author: Michael Ondaatje
Metaphors in the book. A metaphor compares two things that have very little in common but do share a trait or characteristic. It says something else to show what they have in common. In the novel, the writer’s use of metaphor, gave us a greater understanding of the message he was passing on. On page 23, “sleep is a prison for a boy who has friends to meet”. The writer compares sleep to a prison to make us imagine the urge in Michael to go out and meet his friends. On page 191, “he is probably not the sweetest chocolate in the box”. Miss Lasqueti uses this phrase when describing Niemeyer. It tells us that Niemeyer was not a very good person; he was more of a dangerous man. On page 257, “how many of us have a moved heart that shies away to a different angle?”. A heart cannot physically move on its own, so it tells us that the writer, Emily and even Cassius did not have that sense of wholeness in them. They no longer felt complete, mostly because of the lack of family bond. On page 246, “then she stepped out of the marriage, recognizing it was too cold a building for her to live in”. The ‘too cold a building’ is used to signify the lack of happiness in her marriage. The use of metaphor in the novel, made us appreciate the writer’s work more. It helps us create images in our heads as we read; because he compares things to what we are common with in our daily lives.
The Importance of Tropes Tropes are words or phrases that are used in a particular format even though they might mean something different. In the novel, the tropes made us to think deeper, not to conclude from his exact words but try to think, the way he was thinking when he wrote the book. On page 237, “can you give me something? Water…”, the water there is life and not just water. Emily needs life and wonders if Michael can provide it. On page 19, “there was darkness all around us, but we knew how to walk through it”. The darkness there is for danger.
Author: Michael Ondaatje
Metaphors in the book. A metaphor compares two things that have very little in common but do share a trait or characteristic. It says something else to show what they have in common. In the novel, the writer’s use of metaphor, gave us a greater understanding of the message he was passing on. On page 23, “sleep is a prison for a boy who has friends to meet”. The writer compares sleep to a prison to make us imagine the urge in Michael to go out and meet his friends. On page 191, “he is probably not the sweetest chocolate in the box”. Miss Lasqueti uses this phrase when describing Niemeyer. It tells us that Niemeyer was not a very good person; he was more of a dangerous man. On page 257, “how many of us have a moved heart that shies away to a different angle?”. A heart cannot physically move on its own, so it tells us that the writer, Emily and even Cassius did not have that sense of wholeness in them. They no longer felt complete, mostly because of the lack of family bond. On page 246, “then she stepped out of the marriage, recognizing it was too cold a building for her to live in”. The ‘too cold a building’ is used to signify the lack of happiness in her marriage. The use of metaphor in the novel, made us appreciate the writer’s work more. It helps us create images in our heads as we read; because he compares things to what we are common with in our daily lives.
The Importance of Tropes Tropes are words or phrases that are used in a particular format even though they might mean something different. In the novel, the tropes made us to think deeper, not to conclude from his exact words but try to think, the way he was thinking when he wrote the book. On page 237, “can you give me something? Water…”, the water there is life and not just water. Emily needs life and wonders if Michael can provide it. On page 19, “there was darkness all around us, but we knew how to walk through it”. The darkness there is for danger.