Battle of the Sexes
A good deal of the most memorable uses of metaphors in this fantasy series are directed toward the issue of men complaining about women and women complaining men. After about 10,000 or so pages worth of material, it almost seems unlikely that any reasonably expected comparison hasn’t been made somewhere by some character with some simile:
“Women," Mat declared as he rode Pips down the dusty, little-used road, "are like mules." He frowned. "Wait. No. Goats. Women are like goats. Except every flaming one thinks she's a horse instead, and a prize racing mare to boot.”
The Apparition of the Enemy
Metaphorical imagery is used to describe the almost magical appearance of the enemy early on in the book. It is an early example of what will become a recurring motif of comparisons to the weather creating a unity between humans and the natural world around them:
“The enemy army had appeared suddenly, without warning, as if brought by a blizzard. Few wondered at it.”
The Wheel of Time
Keep in mind that this book is an entry in a series collectively known as The Wheel of Time. That metaphorical wheel becomes the subject of discourse a bit more often than usual in this volume, coinciding with the narrative progression bringing the story closer to its final showdown between good and evil:
“The end is near," Moridin said. "The Wheel has groaned its final rotation, the clock has lost its spring, the serpent heaves its final gasps.”
The Forsaken
The Forsaken are appropriately mysterious figures who exist within the shadows. They are a collective type of character perfectly built the use of metaphor. And especially for that most omnipresent of metaphors in post-19th century fiction: darkness.
“The Forsaken had been figures of legend for three thousand years, looming shadows of darkness and mystery. It could be disappointing to discover that they were, in many ways, the most human of the Dark One’s followers: petty, destructive and argumentative.”
Burning Bridges
Ever notice how often metaphors related to the changes that have taken place over the march of time from past to present involve fiery imagery? Well, you probably will start noticing them now. Be prepared, because burning down the bridges of your past is far from the only example:
“The past was a field of embers and ash, an old Saldaean proverb said, the remnants of the fire that was the present.”
