"Stories are not reflections of reality but are selective versions of it, told from a particular view.” [A. Simpson]
One way to express that point of view is by using metaphors. We speak in metaphors. “This is like that” is a way we humans take an abstract concept and make it concrete.
Metaphors are a bridge from the familiar to the strange. They shape our view of the world. Metaphors make meaning.
Take a listen to the myriad of ways we are consistently rely on metaphors to explain how "this is like that." Whether you are listening to a group of research participants in a focus group, responses from prospective jurors in voir dire, your opposing counsel, or yourself in conversation pay attention to how metaphors play a vital role in constructing meaning to persuade another.
As a storyteller I was taught that there are six types of metaphors:
- Sports: games, teams, heroes, etc.;
- Cultural: ethnic, racial, and terms that apply to insiders;
- Mechanical: tools, cars, architecture, etc.;
- Material: food, clothing, household items, etc.;
- Organic: weather, nature, animals;
- Mythic: gods, lessons, laws, folk & fairy tales, important dead people;
- Literary: media, TV, characters, and books.
The next time you are in conversation, listen to how the speaker uses a metaphor to say "This is like that." And see if it is.
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