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Metaphor or something else?

Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 10:19 am
by BronnyG
Hi there!
Would this be considered a metaphor?
"Facts in his eyes are over, a relic from the age of the printing press."
There is no "is" but could the comma act as one?

Re: Metaphor or something else?

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:14 am
by Joe
"is" or no "is", this sentence makes no sense. What does "over" mean?

Re: Metaphor or something else?

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 8:18 am
by BronnyG
'Over' means facts are done for. They don't exist.

Re: Metaphor or something else?

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 12:28 pm
by Joe
Do you mean they are not important?

Re: Metaphor or something else?

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 12:31 pm
by Joe
The sentence structure itself is ok. The word "is" is not necessary. In fact (if I dare use that word :roll: ) it would be wrong.

So without getting into whether facts exist or not, I'll leave you to choose your words...

Facts in his eyes are done for, a relic from the age of the printing press. :ok:
Facts in his eyes are unimportant, a relic from the stoneage. :ok:

...and a thousand other combinations.

Re: Metaphor or something else?

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 12:35 pm
by Joe
But to answer your first question, I don't see it as a metaphor. Just a statement of "fact"...as someone believes it to be.

Re: Metaphor or something else?

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 2:02 pm
by BronnyG
Thank you for your help! If the whole sentence is not seen as a metaphor, then would "a relic from the age of the printing press" be a simile?
P.S. the sentence is takes from an extract that I have to analyse :)

Re: Metaphor or something else?

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 6:05 am
by Joe
It's certainly not a simile (which involves "like" or "as...as"). And I don't see it as a metaphor. I take the words literally, not metaphorically.

Re: Metaphor or something else?

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 6:19 am
by Joe
On second thoughts, maybe "relic" is attempting to be a metaphor. The whole concept is contentious and I find the sentence bizarre :roll: So if you have to analyze it, perhaps the answer needed actually is metaphor.