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Imagery
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
Key Examples in Obasan
Chapter 7
Explanation and Analysis—White Blood Cell:
In Chapter 7, Naomi captures Aunt Emily’s tireless energy and moral intensity through a striking metaphor:
Injustice enrages Aunt Emily. Any injustice. Whether she’s dealing with the Japanese-Canadian issue or women’s rights or poverty, she’s one of the world’s white blood cells, rushing from trouble spot to trouble spot with her medication pouring into wounds seen and not seen.
Related Themes:
Chapter 16
Explanation and Analysis—The Butterflies:
In Chapter 16, Naomi recounts a moment in the backyard using imagery that blends vivid description with figurative resonance:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Stephen whacks his crutch into the grasses, scattering the butterflies… infant eyes, staring up at us bodiless and unblinking…
Related Themes:
Chapter 31
Explanation and Analysis—Underbelly of a Fish:
In Obasan, Kogawa often uses metaphor to externalize Naomi’s emotional state, allowing nature to mirror her sense of alienation and loss. In Chapter 31, as winter settles over the landscape, Naomi observes:
Unlock with LitCharts A+When the snow falls and covers everything, I hardly know that it is snow. The sky is the underbelly of a fish.
Related Themes:
