Figuring Out Metaphors

John R. Searle actually help me figure out and and question metaphors.I understand how authors speak metaphorically and do not mean what they say literally. I didn't understand how I might assume that the author is speaking metaphorically, but it might be much harder to figure out what he means. I didn't know that the existence of such utterances pose a series of questions for any theory of language and communication. Such as: Why do some metaphors work and others do not?; Why do we use expressions metaphorically instead of saying exactly and literally what we mean?

Ode to a Nightingale

John Keat is in a state of numbness and drowsiness from listening to the nightingale. He envied the nightingale's carefree life. The speaker wanted to drink alcohol as a way to escape life's problems. He realized that life was painful,the young die, and the old suffer. The speaker started using his imagination to spiritually lift him up to see the moon and stars, but he was really seeing glimmering light. He feels like it wouldn't be so bad to die in the forest with the nightingale singing. I think the nightingale is immortal, because numerous kinds of generations of people have heard its' song throughout history. The speaker regains consciousness when the nightingale flies away. He was very confused; not knowing the difference between dreams and reality.

On the Words of Poetry

Dylan Thomas is the most intriguing and differing poet I've ever read about. His poem, On the Words in Poetry, explains how he began to write poetry. The way he started was very interesting. He started off young. He had a love for words. Even before he could read the words himself. He just like the sound of them. He did not care what the words meant, what they stood for, or what they symbolized.  There were quite a few similies that was used in this poem. He was comparing the words to different sounds. To him, even though the words seemed lifeless, out of them came different emotions that make our lives dangerous, great, and bearable. He felt like he needed to get to know the words better.