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Irony
Definition of Metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor can be stated explicitly, as... read full definition
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor... read full definition
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other... read full definition
Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Motherly Love:
In Chapter 1, Claudia expresses complex emotions about her mother. Although Mrs. MacTeer is often harsh with Claudia and Frieda, she loves them in her own way. Attempting to communicate the nature of this love, Claudia utilizes metaphor:
Love, thick and dark as Alaga syrup, eased up into that cracked window. I could smell it—taste it—sweet, musty, with an edge of wintergreen in its base—everywhere in that house. It stuck, along with my tongue, to the frosted windowpanes. It coated my chest, along with the salve, and when the flannel came undone in my sleep, the clear, sharp curves of air outlined its presence on my throat.
In this passage, Claudia speaks figuratively about love as an abstract emotion, comparing it to a thick, dark syrup. Her mother's syrupy love envelops Claudia, coating her body and tongue, sticking to Claudia with persistence and stubbornness. Mrs. MacTeer may not be emotionally available or openly affectionate, but she takes care of her daughter and loves her in her own way. Parent/child relationships are often complicated by financial hardship, but that does not mean that those relationships are not loving. Morrison presents these relationships honestly to readers, including both the constructive and detrimental emotions they cultivate.
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Explanation and Analysis—Adults and Children:
In Chapter 1, Claudia narrates the first meeting between herself and Henry Washington. His demeanor differs from that of the other adults in Claudia and Frieda's life, making his arrival an exciting prospect for the two girls. Employing an indirect metaphor, Claudia notes that her expectations for Henry differed from the reality of him:
We looked sideways at him, saying nothing and expecting him to say nothing. Just to nod, as he had done at the clothes closet, acknowledging our existence. To our surprise, he spoke to us.
In this passage, Claudia compares herself and Frieda to the "clothes closet," expressing her surprise that Henry did not treat her and her sister with the same vague disinterest with which one regards a piece of furniture. Claudia's use of indirect metaphor reveals that she and her sister are used to being regarded by adults as inanimate objects, barely worth acknowledging as fellow humans. This treatment would diminish any child's sense of self-worth and autonomy. It is therefore noteworthy that Mr. Henry speaks to them outright, regarding them as fellow humans instead of furniture. He does not belittle Claudia and Frieda, as adults are wont to do, but respects their emotions and complex inner lives. This treatment instantly endears him to them, despite his many later sins.
Related Themes:
Chapter 3
Explanation and Analysis—Cloak of Ugliness:
The unnamed narrator begins Chapter 3 with a series of passages breaking down the issues with the Breedloves' self-image. The family members appear ugly because they believe that they are ugly. The narrator outlines this through metaphor:
You looked at them and wondered why they were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that it came from conviction, their conviction. It was as though some mysterious all-knowing master had given each one a cloak of ugliness to wear, and they had each accepted it without question.
In this passage, the narrator uses metaphor to compare the Breedloves' personal attitudes to "cloak[s] of ugliness." Like a garment, this family's conviction of its own ugliness engulfs them almost entirely, casting a shadow on each individual member's life. Morrison includes this powerful psychological breakdown of the Breedlove family as a means of exploring the relationship between poverty, racism, and issues related to self-image. For the majority of their lives, the members of the Breedlove family have had their humanity stripped from them, categorized as lesser by their White-centric society. Poverty has not amended the family's situation; on the contrary, racism and financial struggle compound one another, making it incredibly difficult to form a positive outlook on one's life or self.
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Chapter 4
Explanation and Analysis—Cold Wind:
In Chapter 4, Claudia catches Mr. Henry keeping company with two sex workers, China and the Maginot Line. As a young girl witnessing an adult sexual encounter, Claudia does not entirely know how to feel. She uses metaphor to describe her tumultuous emotions:
Showing brown teeth, China seemed to be genuinely enjoying Mr. Henry. The sight of him licking her fingers brought to mind the girlie magazines in his room. A cold wind blew somewhere in me, lifting little leaves of terror and obscure longing. I thought I saw a mild lonesomeness cross the face of the Maginot Line.
Claudia compares her complicated feelings to a "cold wind [...] lifting little leaves of terror and obscure longing." Terror and longing do not ordinarily coexist in a person at the same moment in time, and yet within Claudia these contradictory emotions emerge simultaneously when she witnesses Mr. Henry licking China's fingers.
Claudia both fears and craves these expressions of intimacy. She longs for love and affection, but has been conditioned to view the kind of affection Mr. Henry engages in as morally wrong. These warring sentiments swirl within Claudia like leaves caught in a gust of wind, both confusing and compelling her.
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