From the very first stanza, Amy Lowell’s 1916 poem “Patterns” develops a metaphor that runs throughout. As the narrator wanders the garden thinking of her lover, her restrictive dress and stifling social conventions confine her life to a specific pattern. She resents these forces, frustrated that the liberation she longs for is forever denied her by the death of her lover. Lowell’s use of rich, descriptive metaphors powerfully evoke and expound upon her narrator’s feelings and frustrations.

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.