Metaphor
Pattern
A is B — direct identity claim between unlike things
Definition
An implicit comparison that states one thing is another, transferring qualities without using 'like' or 'as'.
Examples
Example 1
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.
Shakespeare, As You Like It
The world is directly equated with a stage — no "like" or "as" needed
Example 2
Life is a highway.
Tom Cochrane / Rascal Flatts
A pop culture metaphor that compresses the journey of life into a single road image
Example 3
The White House announced new sanctions today.
An everyday dead metaphor — "the White House" stands for the presidency without anyone noticing the comparison
AI Detection Note
AI uses metaphor frequently but defaults to conventional, dead metaphors ('a sea of troubles', 'the fabric of society'). Original, surprising metaphors that forge genuinely new connections are rare in AI output and signal human authorship.
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