When Hillary Clinton conceded in 2008 that she didn't quite 'shatter the glass ceiling', and when Rick Perry in 2012 called Mitt Romney a 'vulture capitalist', they used abbreviated metaphorical stories, in which stories about one topic are presented as stories about something entirely different. This book examines a wide range of metaphorical stories, beginning with literary genres such as allegories and fables, then focusing on metaphorical stories in ordinary conversations, political speeches, editorial cartoons, and other communication. Sometimes metaphorical stories are developed in rich detail; in other examples, like 'vulture capitalist', they may merely be referenced or implied. This book argues that close attention to metaphorical stories and story metaphors enriches our understanding and is essential to any theory of communication. The book introduces a theoretical structure, which is developed into a theory of metaphorical stories and then illustrates the theory by applying it to actual discourse.
Author(s): L. David Ritchie
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2017
Language: English
Pages: 282
Cover
Half-title
Title page
Copyright information
Table of contents
Preface
1 "Shattering the Glass Ceiling": A Metaphor Becomes a Metaphorical Story
Stories from Hillary Clinton’s Concession Speech
‘‘Glass Ceiling’’ and Other Metaphors in the Clinton Speech
Understanding the ‘‘Glass Ceiling’’ Passage as a Metaphorical Story
Metaphorical Stories and Story Metaphors
Abbreviated and Implied Story Metaphors
Metaphorical Stories and Story Metaphors in Language Play, Irony, and Humor
Metaphorical Stories in Visual Communication
Summary
2 Stories and Narratives
What Is a Story?
Storytelling in Conversations
Types of Story
Social Functions of Storytelling
Cognitive Aspects of Storytelling and Comprehension
Conclusion
3 Language and Metaphor
Language and Metaphor
Synthesis: Context-Limited Simulation Theory (CLST)
Methodological Addendum to Chapter 3: Identifying and Classifying Metaphors
4 Allegory
Allegory in Antiquity
Allegory in the Late Medieval and Early Modern Ages
Allegoresis: Creating, Finding, and Interpreting Allegorical Elements in Literary Texts
Conclusion
5 Parables and Fables
Parables
Fables
Summary and Discussion
6 Metaphorical Stories
Metaphors Expanded into Stories
Metaphors Based on Truncated Stories
Summary
7 Story Metaphors and Aphorisms
Metaphors That Allude to, Invite, or Require Stories
Aphorisms
Framing Effects and Conflicting Story Metaphors: An Example from Health Communication
What Metaphors Index or Activate Stories – and When?
8 Story-Metaphors in Journalism and Public Affairs
Framing
Story Metaphors in German and British News Coverage of the EU
Story Metaphors and Metaphorical Stories in Legal Journalism
Metaphorical Framing
Summary
9 Barack Obama Talks about Race
Background and Audience
Structure of the Speech
Context
‘‘The Past Isn’t Dead’’
Journey
Space, Distance, Direction, Container
Fire
Battle, War, Struggle
Nature, Landscapes, Biology
Games, Economics, and Commerce
Personification and Objectification
Optics/Vision
Summary
10 Metaphorical Stories about Climate Change
Climate and Climate Change
Metaphors and Story Metaphors of Climate Change – General
Jim Hansen, NASA scientist
Senator Jim Inhofe, Republican (Oklahoma) – Speech before the Senate, September 25, 2006
Barack Obama’s 2013 Address at Georgetown University
Conclusions
11 Metaphorical Stories in Visual Communication
Editorial Cartoons
How Do People Actually Process Visual Metaphors?
Summary
12 Metaphorical Stories and Their Place in Discourse
Communication, Language, and Cognition
Metaphors, Stories, and Story Metaphors in Discourse
Recognizing and Understanding Metaphorical Stories
Directions for Future Research
How People Understand Metaphors: Context-Limited Simulation Theory (CLST)
Advice to Communicators on Using Metaphors and Metaphorical Stories
Notes
1 ‘‘Shattering the Glass Ceiling’’
2 Stories and Narratives
3 Language and Metaphor
4 Allegory
5 Parables and Fables
6 Metaphorical Stories
7 Story Metaphors and Aphorisms
8 Story-Metaphors in Journalism and Public Affairs
References
Index
