What is the subject of a metaphor?

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Study for the Modern American Literature and Poetry Test. Explore diverse themes and answer multiple-choice questions with detailed explanations. Enhance your comprehension and prepare for your exam!

Multiple Choice

What is the subject of a metaphor?

Explanation:
In a metaphor, the subject being described is the tenor. The tenor is the thing to which you attribute qualities through the metaphor; it’s the actual topic of the comparison. For example, in “Time is a thief,” time is the tenor, because time is what’s being described. The image or figure that carries the description is the vehicle (thief), which provides the sense or image by which the tenor is understood. The ground is the shared quality that links them—here, the idea that time can steal moments, just as a thief steals valuables. So the subject of a metaphor is the tenor, not the vehicle, the metaphor as a whole, or a symbol.

In a metaphor, the subject being described is the tenor. The tenor is the thing to which you attribute qualities through the metaphor; it’s the actual topic of the comparison. For example, in “Time is a thief,” time is the tenor, because time is what’s being described. The image or figure that carries the description is the vehicle (thief), which provides the sense or image by which the tenor is understood. The ground is the shared quality that links them—here, the idea that time can steal moments, just as a thief steals valuables.

So the subject of a metaphor is the tenor, not the vehicle, the metaphor as a whole, or a symbol.

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