Department of English

A metaphor can be used to simplify complex ideas and make them more palatable to readers. It is a tool that can bring words to life—literally. The use of a metaphor is not just a literary technique, but a psychological one because a writer can manipulate words in order to connect to their reader, controlling the way their readers perceive what they have written. Metaphorical language takes imagination, to write, and understand. This allows a writer to convey their emotions in a much more creatively historical way. This technique reveals emotions and experiences when no standard vocabulary exists, enabling abstract readings. This is what Lauren Slater does in her book, Lying: A Metaphorical Memoir. Slater takes a neurodivergent disorder, epilepsy, and uses it as a metaphor to describe the tumultuous relationships and traumas she has experienced. Using a cripistemological lens, I will explore how this technique inspires readers to grasp the complex relationships that she has, and how it helps them gain a greater understanding of a disorder that is difficult to appreciate and comprehend without metaphor.