#Teachers Write - Making Metaphors

I am participating (in my own adapted way) in an online writing camp for teachers. Yesterday's activity was one that I am definitely going to borrow and modify to use in my class. Essentially it involves making a list of emotions and a list of objects, then randomly pairing an emotion with an object and crafting a simile or metaphor for the emotion using the object. 

These are my quick lists.

Emotions/feelings:

Joy, sadness, contentment, fear, love, infatuation, gratitude, jealousy, shyness, nervousness, excitement, happiness, grief, anticipation.

Objects (gathered by looking around the room I was sitting and writing in)

Row boat, sprinkler, old notebook, window, martini glass, motorcycle, dandelion, stone, leaf, fountain pen, wicker chair, shopping bag, starfish, tire, fine, fence.

I gave each object a number and used a random number generator on my phone to pair each emotion with an object. Some came up twice, some were unused.  

I wrote as quickly as I could (as I imagine this as sort of a speedy activity in class), and tried to run with my first thoughts (crossouts allowed, of course).  I was surprised how personal they felt. 

Joy + Window

She looked at old things new - through the window of joy in front of her (opened by gratitude) taking in a clear view of the stars.

Sadness + Dandelions (I love dandelions)

Sadness grew like dandelions - suddenly showing up and showing up and showing up in an otherwise green lawn. Seems like it should be easy to pluck them out and clear the field of weeds. But the roots go deep, and though the stem breaks off and the flower is decapitated, it will be back.

Contentment + Motorcycle

She had that feeling of contentment, like a motorcycle ride on that perfect afternoon - right temperature, right light, right road, right music. 

Fear + Starfish (I love starfish)

Her fear, like a starfish, regenerated new arms every time she thought she had cut one off.

Infatuation + Motorcycle

A silent sibilance starts up in her chest. Revving. Her infatuation explodes like a motorcycle at a green light.

Gratitude + Leaf

The tree of her life spawned another leaf of gratitude, adding to the already full canopy that sheltered and sustained her.

Jealousy + Row boat

Living a life motivated by jealousy is like trying to cross the ocean in a row boat. you may get to where you want to go, but it will be a long, painful, exhausting, and lonely fight. And there are so many better ways to go. 

Shyness + Tire

Her shyness stuck her there like a flat tire. Even if she wanted to go somewhere, she was too deflated.

Nervous + Vine

Like a vine trying to spread itself, her nervousness latched on to whatever was close by. And that day her friend got out the trimmer.

Excited + Sprinkler

Excitement flowed from here like water through a sprinkler, raining down on every thing in range. 

Happiness + Stone

Her happiness sat within her like a stone - solid, peaceful, elemental. The footing upon which her days were built.

Grief + Wicker Chair

She sat in her grief like a wicker chair, growing comfortable with it support even as its woven sticks pocked her with indelible marks of mourning.

Love + Old Notebook

She carried her loves around like an old notebook full of stories, so that if she ever needed, she could open to any page and read her way back to full. 

Anticipation + Shopping bag

As she walked toward the reunion with her old friend, she carried her anticipation like a shopping bag - dropping in each what if she came across until she could hardly carry it any further.

I've been reading a lot about creativity recently. This kind of activity with the sometimes unlikely pairings is the kind of thing that encourages the development of creativity.  Definitely something I want to pursue more of personally and in the classroom.