Let’s settle down and blanket the ground now
It’s so nice being together, just being together
Mellowed out under the clouds now
This world is full of wonders, but you’re my favorite color…
Favorite Color illustrates loving the moment and brings up an important writing asset called metaphor. The last line calls someone a “favorite color”…colors aren’t people, so how do you know what I mean?
Chances are you know what it’s like to have a favorite color; you buy clothes, paint walls, and choose products in that color because you love it and you can’t get enough. Right?
So if I’m talking about a person being my favorite color, I’m making a pretty strong statement without coming right out and saying “I like you best” (boring!).
In the world of language and literature, we call this type of statement “metaphor”. Metaphor is a tool used to explain ideas using experiences others can understand or relate to. Sometimes literal explanations are just uninteresting, or perhaps too confusing for the reader; in these cases, we use figurative language like metaphor.
Another metaphor to consider:
If I say words are puzzle pieces, I’m defining words BY puzzle pieces. And it works, because you assume I think words are tiny, hard-to-fit pieces that create a complete image when connected correctly. Even though words are not puzzle pieces, their characteristics match, so I can use one to explain the other.
If I have a busy week coming up, I might say, “I better batten down the hatches!” For sailors, to “batten down the hatches” means, “prepare the ship for a storm!” When I use this metaphor, I’m likening my busy week to a storm that I must prepare for. I don’t have to say anything literal about my week because this metaphor is commonly understood. Because others understand common phrases, idioms, and myths, writers often use them to make concepts easier to digest (or just make them prettier).
Metaphor makes language more interesting, so using it in writing can only help you engage your audience. Who doesn’t like stories better than a long, dry explanation of events?
As writers we aspire to forming our own metaphor to impart our thoughts to others because those common cliches are too burnt out for creative use. More than likely, you use metaphor all the time without realizing it. Can you catch yourself?
(Warning: Catching metaphor is addicting. You may never think the same again! ;))
