Metaphor for comfort
The most important metaphor which can be found in "Christian Bérard’’ is food. The major character, an unnamed woman who at first is described as being lonely and withdrawn, manages to make friends through the food she makes and serves them. The food thus becomes a metaphor used for comfort but also for human connections which are created through interaction.
Falling in love and lightning
In most of the operas and plays analyzed, falling in love is compared with the way in which lighting takes place. The comparison has the purpose of transmitting the idea that falling in love happens at times in an extremely rapid manner, but also that it can be extremely destructive for a person and even deadly at times.
Metaphor for happiness within a family
In "[The house was just twinkling in the moon light]’’, the narrator describes in great detail the light coming from the inside of the house and how it can be compared with the harsh darkness from outside. The light is described as being ‘’warm’’ and as coming from the other members inside the house, namely the husband, wife and the child. The light thus becomes a metaphor, used here to suggest the happiness one fells when he or she is a member of a well-adjusted and supportive family.
Metaphor for the weaker status of women
In "Idem the Same: A Valentine to Sherwood Anderson’’, the narrator describes both men and women and puts them on opposite sides. While the men are described as being dressed as hunters and carrying weapons and knives, the women are described as being dressed in thin blouses which can’t protect them from the cold. The blouses are used here as a metaphor, to suggest the way in which women are often perceived as being weaker than men. The blouses can’t protect the women from the cold from the outside and are no match to the uniforms the men are described as wearing. Thus, they are used here to suggest the way in which women are weaker in comparison with men.
Metaphor for inferiority
In "How She Bowed to her Brother’’ the main character, the sister, is described as being always kneeling when it comes to her brother. This continues to be mentioned over and over again and it thus became a metaphor used here to suggest the inferiority of women when they are compared with the men in their lives.
