“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant (1850–1893) was written in 1884 and depicts the life of a charming young woman who dreams of luxuries beyond the financial means of her husband. These dreams are realized when she not only is able to attend a social event but also borrow a diamond necklace to wear from a friend. The short story is laced with metaphors that bring the characters—their desires, misunderstandings, and struggles—to life.

Skills: analysis, drawing inferences from text, close reading, identifying the relationship between words

About This Document

The Owl Eyes Analyzing Metaphor activity gives students an opportunity to practice examining and analyzing metaphors. Students will engage with specific selections of the text and work collaboratively to identify the vehicle, tenor, and implications of each metaphor. The main components include the following:

• A brief introduction to the text
• A detailed handout on metaphor types
• A step-by-step guide to activity procedure
• A detailed answer key for teachers

In completing this worksheet, students will learn to classify and analyze different kinds of metaphors in order to develop close reading skills and draw deeper inferences from the text.