Metaphoric Love
Love is a cool breeze on a warm day, soft and welcome comfort.
This is how I picture love. While this idea works for me, every
person has a different idea of love. Generally, most agree it is
a good thing, but it is difficult to put this concept into
words.
In describing love, writers often use the tool of
metaphor. A metaphor is a comparison of two unlike items
to bring home the point to the reader. When an emotion or
concept is difficult to describe, the writer uses metaphor to
help the reader understand what the author is trying to convey.
For example, in the following quote, love is compared to a
haunting melody, a concept to which most readers can relate.
Love is a haunting melody
That I have never mastered
And I fear I never will.
~ by William S. Burroughs ~
The metaphor you select should fit into the theme and
characterization of the story. You don't want to use a reference
to musical composition in a romance story set in an extremely
isolated part of the country. Especially one taking place in a
time when music was not readily accessed over radio and
television.
The comparison must fit the theme of the tale and the
characters. A simple farmer who has never left his land would be
unlikely to compare his love for his spouse to music, instead he
might compare it to a sunset or even the richness of the soil.
Be certain to keep this in mind when using metaphor in your
writing.
For more information on metaphor, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphor.