In literary analysis, which term refers to the thing being described in a metaphor?

• A. Vehicle
• B. Tenor
• C. Simile
• D. Symbol

Answer: (B)

Think about how metaphors work: the thing being described is the focus of the metaphor, while the image used to describe it is the vehicle. The thing described is called the tenor. For example, in a line like “Time is a thief,” Time is what’s being described, so that is the tenor. The image “thief” is what carries the metaphor’s sense, that image is the vehicle. That’s why tenor is the best answer here. The other terms refer to different ideas: a simile uses like or as to make a comparison, and a symbol is a broader idea where an object stands for something beyond itself.