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The motive for metaphor ... is a desire to associate, and…

“The motive for metaphor ... is a desire to associate, and finally to identify, the human mind with what goes on outside it, because the only genuine joy you can have is in those rare moments when you feel that although we may know in part, as Paul says, we are also a part of what we know.” quote by Northrop Frye
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““The motive for metaphor ... is a desire to associate, and finally to identify, the human mind with what goes on outside it, because the only genuine joy you can have is in those rare moments when you feel that although we may know in part, as Paul says, we are also a part of what we know.””

Northrop Frye

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Metaphor links human mind to external reality, creating joy when we recognize our partial participation in universal knowledge.

In simple terms: Metaphor connects mind and world.

Key Takeaway

Embrace metaphorical thinking.

Themes

metaphor knowledge joy identification

Mood

intellectual joyful

Type

academic reflective

When to use this quote

  • Creative writing
  • education
  • public speaking

Key Concepts

Literary theory philosophy cognitive science

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does metaphor shape your understanding?
  • When does metaphor limit clarity?
A Different Perspective

Metaphor may oversimplify complex realities.

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