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| Thank you, Onion. |
Among the most reliable of storytelling devices is the literal metaphor. Such a thing may initially seem to be a contradiction, but when used by a gifted practitioner it can open windows to meaning, and to enjoyment, that would otherwise remain closed.
Literal metaphor is frequently the linchpin of successful literary endeavors. To offer just one famous example: when Joy/Hulga is stuck in the hayloft after her prosthetic leg is stolen in Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People", her bookish philosophy doesn't have a leg to stand on. I was recently struck by two cinematic efforts that made wonderful use of a central literal metaphor. One is an animated short, the other a feature-length live-action debut.
