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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 5: Anne’s History
Explanation and Analysis—Graveyard of Buried Hopes:
In Chapter 5, Anne uses a dark metaphor that reveals her tendency to romanticize troubling circumstances. During the drive to White Sands, she says to Marilla:
Well, that is another hope gone. ‘My life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes.’ That’s a sentence I read in a book once, and I say it over to comfort myself whenever I’m disappointed in anything.
Here, Anne expresses disappointment at not being able to wear the color pink because her hair is so red. She uses the metaphor of a "graveyard" because she feels that her "hopes" have died. She does not think that she will ever be able to wear the color pink, and this causes her distress. However, she seems to take some delight in explaining her situation via metaphor.
After Anne shares this dark saying, Marilla expresses her doubts about the potential comfort it can bring. Anne explains that it "sounds so nice and romantic." In other words, Anne copes with stressful situations by romanticizing them. She believes that she can enjoy pretty much anything if she puts her mind to it. Her breadth of literary knowledge provides solace and comfort as it allows her to imagine that life is much grander than it is in reality. This line is an allusion to an unknown book that Anne read before coming to Green Gables, so it also shows her power of associative thinking.
Related Themes:
Chapter 8: Anne’s Bringing-Up Is Begun
Explanation and Analysis—Sea of Daydreams:
The metaphor of a "sea of daydreams," which expresses Anne's wild imagination, appears at the end of Chapter 8. In this chapter, Anne learns that she will be allowed to stay at Green Gables. Upon learning this good news, she heads up to her room, leans on her windowsill, and imagines her future:
Anne blew a couple of airy kisses from her fingertips past the cherry blossoms and then, with her chin in her hands, drifted luxuriously out on a sea of daydreams.
Anne's imagination helps her cope with a difficult childhood. Now that she has arrived in Avonlea, she no longer has to rely solely on her imagination. However, she puts it to good use while considering her future at Green Gables. The metaphor of a "sea of daydreams" suggests that Anne feels as if her thoughts are floating gently in her mind. She does not need to struggle to imagine a positive future. This metaphor also shows the powerful effect of daydreaming: her dreams provide a vast and oceanlike source of ideas for her to ponder. Finally, this metaphor evokes an image of the sea, which makes perfect sense given that natural imagery often appears in the novel as a source of peace and solace for the characters.
Related Themes:
Chapter 15: A Tempest in the School Teapot
Explanation and Analysis—The Iron :
In Chapter 15, Anne's schoolteacher publicly shames her, misspells her name, and makes her sit with Gilbert Blythe (the boy who pulled her hair). Shortly afterward, Anne tells Diana that a metaphorical "iron has entered her soul":
“I shall never forgive Gilbert Blythe,” said Anne firmly. “And Mr. Phillips spelled my name without an e, too. The iron has entered into my soul, Diana.”
This vaguely biblical metaphor encapsulates her despair. It probably derives from a Latin translation of the Hebrew Bible story of Joseph's enslavement in Egypt; being literally placed in "irons," in this metaphorical expression, has an equally crushing spiritual and emotional effect on a person. The idiom "the iron entered into [one's] soul" captures the despair and indignity of being stuck in an unjust situation.
Anne's use of this phrase is characteristically dramatic, but in the context of the story, her emotions make perfect sense. She is only 11 years old at this point, and a day full of hair-pulling and public ridicule rightly upset her. Anne feels that permanent emotional damage was done by her teacher and Gilbert Blythe, hence the iron entering her soul. Gilbert's teasing, as well as rude comments from Rachel Lynde, cruelly remind Anne that she remains an outsider in Green Gables.
Related Themes:
