The Wind
It is one of the ritualistic repetitions of this fantasy series that the opening chapter indulges in an extended metaphor personifying the wind. Infamously, the opening paragraphs of each book insist that the wind is not the beginning, but it was a beginning. And from there the narrative proceeds to more concrete metaphorical imagery involving the wind:
“Eventually, the wind encountered another continent, this one quiet, like a man holding his breath before the headsman’s axe fell.”
Darkness
Darkness as a metaphor is everywhere in modern fiction. The only real trick anymore is predicting exactly how it is going to show up because the fact that it will show up is a foregone conclusion. In a way, it’s an ironic paradox that darkness has become the defining metaphor of mankind right around the time that man discovered how to control its literal presence. The omnipresence of darkness as metaphor is almost a reaction to the fact that literal darkness is really pretty much a choice for man and thus, in a way, does not even exist literally as a natural fact:
“It was easier to pretend at night. Some men lived their entire lives that way, preferring the curtains of darkness to the open windows of daylight, because they let them see the world all in shadow.”
Meta-Metaphor
At one point, the issue of metaphorical imagery becomes meta as the discussion turns away from the metaphor itself to an argument over when is a metaphor not really a metaphor. It all starts with a tangent about how life is simple when your economic situation restricts you to just three pairs of boots as opposed to nobles with more money than sense who own forty pairs:
"I see...So you're using boots as a metaphor for the onus of responsibility and decision placed upon the aristocracy as they assume leadership of complex political and social positions."
"Metaphor for. . . ." Mat scowled. "Bloody ashes, woman. This isn't a metaphor for anything! It's just boots"
But, of course, it’s never just boots.
The End is Nigh
Things are starting to move pretty fast now. This entire series has all along been directed toward the final showdown pitting good versus evil. It is here given the name the Last Battle. Everyone can sense they are on the precipice and this apocalyptic clash of the titans could being at any moment. These are the times that try men’s ability to speak figurative:
"These are the darkest days of men. Days when hope is weak, days when death reigns. But it is on the deepest nights when light is most glorious. During the day, a brilliant beacon can appear weak. But when all other lights fail, it will guide!”
Philosophically Metaphoric
A tremendous volume of metaphorical imagery in this book and others in the series is directed toward philosophical observations. One comes across such idiomatic proverbial nuggets of wisdom at least every few pages or so.
"Nobody walks a difficult path without stumbling now and again. It didn't break you when you fell. That's the important part."
