a rhetorical form that uses repetition of themes (also sometimes words) or structures in an inverted order. The name derives from the Greek word for the letter "x." The most prevalent form of visual rhetorical figures may be the metaphor.
Metaphors, in the simplest sense, simply refer to one thing as another. Perhaps the most famous metaphor is "The Lord is my Shepherd" from Psalm 22/23. The Lord is not literally a shepherd, nor are we sheep. This song extends King David's shepherd/sheep metaphor into a beautiful allegory of God's love for and protection of his people, using language that is at once familiar and prophetical. Most of us probably don't think about this psalm as a metaphor. It is that familiarity that makes metaphors so widely adopted. (For an analysis of David's famous psalm, read this article by Archbishop Dimitri.)In addition to metaphors in literature and speech, we see visual metaphors everywhere. Metaphors abound in advertising, in signs, in symbology, even in colors. Here are a few visual metaphors for your consideration.
What does an image of Nike's new shoe say? Running. Fitness. Agility. Athlete. Winning.
To strengthen their metaphor, Nike named it the "Lunarglide" (coincident with the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, in which the US won the race to the moon) and uses the tag line "Actually, it is rocket science."
A common visual metaphor in symbology is the aquila -- the Roman eagle. Anyone who knows a bit about Roman history (or has watched the HBO series, Rome) knows that the aquila was one of the standards for Roman legions, including those of Gaius Julius Caesar. The Roman eagle signifies power, might, strength, victory. Unity.
The bald eagle became the official national emblem of the USA in 1789 as a result of those same signifiers. The eagle was adopted over the protests of Benjamin Franklin, who considered the bald eagle "of bad moral character" and wanted the turkey as our national bird instead. But clearer heads prevailed and, thus, the bald eagle became our national emblem. President John F. Kennedy later wrote of this American symbol: "The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America." Not relegated completely to the sidelines, though, the turkey has become the American symbol of thanksgiving--of abundance, of family, and of peace.
The bald eagle as it appears on the Great Seal of the United States of America carries an olive branch and 13 arrows in its talons. Charles Thompson describes this symbolism in his design: "The olive branch and arrows denote the power of peace and war...." The visual metaphor of the American bald eagle carries forward the idea of strength and unity from its predecessor, the aquila. Additionally, it signifies defense (the USA has "a strong desire for peace, but will always be ready for war") and freedom.
Finally, I leave you with the humble turkey. (Note this little guy's resemblance to Ben Franklin; I don't think he's destined for anyone's holiday dinner.) May you and your family enjoy abundance and peace and all the good things for which we give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving.
