Metaphorical Titles in Reference to Mental Conflict: Analysis of Alistair MacLeod, Carol Shields, and Kari Strutt Anonymous 12th Grade

Metaphorical Titles in Reference to Mental Conflict Metaphors create enticing writing that allows readers to understand text beyond a surface level. In many pieces of literature, metaphors are used within the text or the title to capture the reader's attention as well as communicate a deeper message about the story and its characters. In “Dressing Up for the Carnival” by Carol Shields, the title is used to insinuate the concealed conflict about societal pressures evident in the text. In Alistair MacLeod’s “As Birds Bring Forth the Sun,” the metaphorical title relates to the ongoing internal conflict several characters endure in the story. Lastly, “Touching Bottom” by Kari Strutt uses its title as a metaphor for the anguish the protagonist faces within the story. Although some may argue the metaphors used in the three short stories relate to the text in a literal sense with reference to plot details, this essay will show that the metaphors used in the titles imply a deeper message about intangible conflict and low mental state of characters during immense hardships, thus suggesting that authors use metaphors in titles to relate to character development and conflicts within the stories.

To begin, Shields uses her metaphorical...