Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP Prep Practice Exam

What is the main idea behind the use of an extended metaphor in a work of literature?

1. To evoke a strong emotional response.

2. To provide a consistent comparison throughout the work.

3. To create dramatic tension.

4. To add a deeper level of meaning to the work.

The correct answer is: To add a deeper level of meaning to the work.

An extended metaphor is a literary device in which a comparison between two unlike things is sustained throughout a work of literature. This allows the writer to add a deeper level of meaning to the work by using the metaphor to explore different facets and layers of the subject. Option A, to evoke a strong emotional response, may be a possible effect of an extended metaphor but is not the main purpose for using it. Option B, to provide a consistent comparison throughout the work, is a characteristic of an extended metaphor, but not the main idea behind its use. Option C, to create dramatic tension, is not the main aim of using an extended metaphor, although it may contribute to it. The main idea behind an extended metaphor is to add a deeper level of meaning to the work by using the metaphor to explore the subject in a multi-faceted way.