Extended Metaphor Prompts

Find a great metaphor and make it work for you again and again

This month’s writing prompts are focused on extended metaphors, which means using a metaphor several different times in a few sentences (or paragraphs) rather than using it just once.

Here’s an example of an extended metaphor in which I make use of the sea to describe someone’s turbulent emotions:

Her moods ebb and flow like the tide. The calmness of the surface hides the currents and riptides below. The furious aftermath of her rages leaves hurt feelings on the shore, like flotsam.

In this example, I’m using the night sky to describe these same emotions:

Happiness meant a full moon in a star-filled sky. But inevitably, the moon would wane, imperceptibly at first, until the night sky was empty, dark and fathomless.  

Now it’s your turn:

1. Compare love and romance (good or disappointing) to a box of chocolates.

Hints: different flavours, the ones that no one wants, taking a bite before putting one back in the box

2. Compare some next-door neighbours to a flock of parakeets.

Hints: chattering parakeets, squabbling parakeets, parakeets that sit in the tree waiting for more food to appear in the bird feeder

3. Compare someone’s angry feelings to the pictures in a modern art exhibition.

Hints: Swirls, splatters, splashes, slashed canvas

4. Compare someone’s indecision to the jars of sweets on offer in a traditional sweet shop.

Hints: the instant gratification of the jelly, the hard work required for a boiled sweet

5. Compare a staff meeting to a school classroom.

Hints: teacher’s pet, daydreaming, homework, hands in the air

Have fun with these!