Define metaphor and give an example from a poem or a prose.

Define metaphor and give an example from a poem or a prose.

Metaphor is a literary device that compares two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another thing, without using "like" or "as." It is used to create vivid imagery and convey complex ideas in a concise and imaginative way.

Example from a poem:
In William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet," Juliet says, "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." In this metaphor, Juliet is compared to the sun, emphasizing her beauty, radiance, and importance in Romeo's life.

Example from a prose:
In Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," Atticus Finch tells his children, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." Here, Atticus uses the metaphor of "climbing into someone's skin" to convey the idea of empathy and understanding, urging his children to see the world from others' perspectives.