Insightful connections: Authors use extended metaphors to provide insightful connections that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.Elaborative effect: Extended metaphors are not limited by a single comparison, which allows writers to identify more parallels between the subjects.Complex comparison: Writers present connections between two ideas that play a vital role throughout the text, allowing readers to visualize complex comparisons in concrete ways.Purpose of an extended metaphorĪuthors incorporate extended metaphors to develop complex comparisons, elaborate on the subject matter, present insightful connections, or add humor to their work: The versatility of extended metaphors makes them a useful literary device in poems, books, speeches, and song lyrics. Much like a standard metaphor, extended metaphors use figurative language to compare two things that are not alike yet have some underlying connection.Ī writer uses an extended metaphor for various purposes that help their audience understand and connect to the ideas they present.

An extended metaphor is a detailed comparison that extends through multiple lines, paragraphs, pages, or an entire work.

Metaphors in the road not taken