Weather Metaphors
July 31, 2011
The homework for the Victorian Writer’s Centre Writing for Children class is causing a few people some headaches. The task was to ‘Use the weather as a metaphor to describe the end of a relationship’. This sounds easy (or not) until you find yourself employing similes as one student complained. Film is renowned for using this technique and yesterday’s afternoon movie — Cat on a Hit Tin Roof — is just one example of how metaphor is used in story. The rising tension of Big Daddy’s birthday, and the lies told to him, is accompanied by a rising storm. The turbulent emotions that are experienced between Big Daddy and his son are mirrored in the physical elements. There is a crescendo with thunder and the two men facing off, then the aftermath of the storm sees them come to an understanding and better insight. While there is some damage left by the storm, the weather is now calm and all that remains is for the protagonists to pick up the pieces and get on with their lives.
I’m looking forward to next class.
Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - what a gorgeous pair!
testing red clouds