The proper use of metaphor

——book review of the Story of My Life Fascinating historians,filmmakers,social scientists and writers,the life of Helen Keller has inspired biographies,films,essays,articles and theatrical performances. It can not be praised too much. The Story of My Life is a story of courage and determination,of persistence in the face of great odds,of never giving in and remaining cheerfully optimistic no matter what the circumstances. Whatever,what I want to talk about is the use of metaphor which impresses me most and contributes a lot to this book as well.

In the book,Helen uses metaphor to indicate her determination which gives me a deep impression again and again.

I slipped back many times,I fall,I run against the edge of hidden obstacles,I lose my temper and find it again and keep it better,I trudge on,I gain a little,I feel encouraged,I get more eager and clime higher and I reach the widening horizon. Every struggle is a victor.One more effort and I reach the luminous cloud,the blue depths of the sky, the uplands of my desire.

This paragraph describes her real situation in Harvard University. It was her first year in Harvard. At that time,she could hardly found any special textbooks for the blind. It was extremely difficult for her to learn anything. She struggled with the help of others,sorrowfully. It’s obvious for us that she suffered a lot. However,she never gave up. She refused to surrendered to destiny. A persistent person who was putting her every effort into managing her idea comes up to my mind. All these phrases

such as “slip back,trudge on,blue depth and uplands” touch my heart. It was her willpower indicated by metaphor that moved me deeply. Helen proves us that where there is a will,there is a way by her deeds.

In the Story of My Life,she also expresses her love by using beautiful and positive words. It also is a kind of metaphor.

At first I did not realize what had happened; but when I put my hand in the cage and pretty wings did not meet my touch or his small pointed claws take hold of my finger, I know that I should never see my sweet little singer again.

As we all know,Helen is a deaf and blind woman. She can only fell the pretty bird given by her teacher as a Christmas gift. Her reorganization to the bird is so vague. However,I can really feel her happiness and her love to her sweet little bird even though there is no a word “love” being written. She expresses her love by using words“pretty,sweet” instead of using“love”directly.

Here is another example.

She realized that a child’s mind is like a shallow brook which ripples and dances merrily over the stony course of its education and reflects here a flower,there a bush, yonder a fleecy cloud;and she attempted guide my mind on its way,knowing like a brook it should be fed by mountain steams and hidden springs,until in broadened out into a deep river,capable of reflecting in its surface,billow hills the luminous shadows of trees and the blue heavens as well as the sweet face of a little flower.

Comparing a child’s mind to shallow brook which should be fed by small streams,Helen shows us the great influence education have on children. In other word,by doing so,the great influence from Anne

Sullivan stands out. Anne Sullivan taught Helen alphabet but instead of spelling single words. She spelled whole sentences into her hands. Sullivan is her stream and helps her grow into a brook even a considerable ocean.

Examples indicate that Helen writes with metaphor can be found throughout the book. I contend that if we pay our attention to such sentences,we can have a better understanding of metaphor and make good use of it. All in all,the Story of My Life is definitely worth reading and appreciating.

第二篇：英文书评

Through the short story In Exile, Anton Chekov has

characterized Semyon as an optimistic, cold blooded and dignified man. In the story, the major characters Semyon and Tatar are in exile in the cold Siberia. The old man Semyon is nicknamed Canny by other fellows, which indicates he is regarded as a smart person.

Chekov characterizes Semyon through his words to the Tatar, who is always having a feeling of nostalgia, like that has been written in the book :“ I've been going like that for twenty-two years, day and night... And thank God for it, I want nothing; God give everyone such a life”. Semyon has been in exile for twenty-two years, and he is satisfied with his life which has been filled with everyday hard labor. In his speech, he first shows his appreciation to the God, then he wishes everyone can have a life like him, which indicates how satisfied he is with his situation. The story took place in the cold Siberia, with the main character who has been in exile for a long time; Chekov makes a contrast between the terrible living conditions and the optimistic Semyon, and it emphasizes his positive attitudes towards life.

Being in exile, Semyon turns to an uncaring person. When Semyon talks to the young Tatar man about his experience, he reveals his thought of life that:“ When they sent me here from Russia from the first day…[t]he devil was at me about my wife and about my home and about freedom, but I told him: 'I want nothing.' I stuck to it, and here you see I live well”. Semyon used to care about his “wife”, “family” and

“freedom”, but as he came to Siberia, Semyon starts to see those as “devil”, and decides to care about nothing. Siberia is not a good place for a person to live because of the hard weather, lacks of food and the absence of families and friends. Under such circumstance, to not care about anything may be the smart choice that people can make. Just like Semyon, who becomes indifferent, acquires a “good” life.

Though Semyon is uncaring, he is also dignified. The characterization of Semyon is further developed through his words:“ if Fate has wronged you and me cruelly it's no good asking for her favor and bowing down to her, but you despise her and laugh at her, or else she will laugh at you”. The life of Semyon in the cold Siberia is cruel, and he regards it as the mistreating of the fate. Semyon believes a person doesn’t have to surrender fate instead of “Asking for favor ”

or “bowing down” which give senses of cowardice and

obedience, or else “she would laugh at you” means that you would lose your dignity. The describing of Semyon’s words suggests to audiences that he cares about his dignity.

The writer Anton Chekov characterizes the old man Semyon as an indifferent but optimistic and dignified person. It is easy for readers to understand why Semyon is “canny”, because under the hard circumstances in Siberia, to become not to care about too much maybe the best but also inescapable choice. Chekov characterizes Semyon as a man who lives in such terrible environment, however, audiences respect him even more than they sympathize him. His story teaches us that even under this situation, a person should not be depressed and yielding. From what has been discussed above, the conclusion can be safely drawn that old man Semyon described in the story is not only indifferent, but also dignified and possess a positive attitude, and such image has been presented vividly as one of the main characters in the book and does attract much attention from readers.