Metaphor Quote by Leslie Jamison
““Metaphors are tiny saviors leading the way out of sentimentality, small disciples of Pound, urging "Say it new! Say it new!" It's hard for emotion to feel flat if its language is suitably novel, to feel excessive if its rendering is suitably opaque. Metaphors translate emotion into surprising and sublime language, but they also help us deflect and diffuse the glare of revelation.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: "Metaphors and the Edge of Sentimentality", 2015
Argues that fresh metaphors keep emotional language vivid, preventing dullness or excess.
In simple terms: New metaphors keep emotion fresh.
Key Takeaway
Use inventive language to convey feeling.
Themes
creativity
language
emotion
Mood
reflective
playful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing
- public speaking
- teaching
- art criticism
Key Concepts
literature
poetics
communication
Questions to Reflect On
- What metaphor reshapes your perception?
- When does a metaphor become confusing?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on novelty can obscure meaning.
![“The sense of tragedy - according to Aristotle - comes, ironically enough, not from the protagonist's weak points but from his good qualities. Do you know what I'm getting at? People are drawn deeper into tragedy not by their defects but by their virtues. ... [But] we accept irony through a device…” quote by Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa9/haruki-murakami-21_accepting_the-sense-of-tragedy-according-to-aristo_23796.jpg)
