In poetry, which option correctly identifies a metaphor?

• A. A direct comparison not using 'like' or 'as'; equates two things to reveal meaning.
• B. A narrative device that attributes human qualities to non-human things.
• C. A comparison using 'like' or 'as' to describe something.
• D. A symbol that stands for a larger idea.

Answer: (C)

Metaphor is a direct comparison that equates two unlike things without using the words like or as. It reveals meaning by saying one thing is another, so the reader understands a shared quality or idea in a vivid way. For example, saying “Time is a thief” suggests that time steals moments from our lives, giving us a new way to picture how time affects us.

A statement that uses like or as describes a simile, not a metaphor, so it’s a different figure of speech. The idea of giving human qualities to non-human things is personification, which is another device. A symbol stands for a larger idea or concept, which is related but not the same as a metaphor’s direct equation.