Fun. Fearless. Female. Metaphor.

Cosmopolitan magazine specifically caters to women between the ages of 18 and 25. The pages of Cosmo are littered with articles giving advice to these women. Within each of the stories, the writers of the magazine use a number of metaphors to make their articles more exciting and more relatable to women of this age group. The use of metaphors is detrimental for these types of magazines because they keep their audience entertained and keep them reading, buying and subscribing to the magazine instead of flipping on the TV to their favorite reality show. After all the title of the magazine Cosmopolitan is a metaphor within itself as it represents the personalities, styles and cultures of all its readers.

Specifically looking at the September 2011 edition of the magazine, there are 3 articles in particular that represent the metaphorical language generally associated with the magazine. In the first article "Is Facebook Bumming you out?" metaphors are used to liven the story up and give it a more interesting read. For instance in the following quote: "We're bombarded with news of our friends' accomplishments." In this quote "bombarded" is used as a metaphor for the influx of information that we receive from various social media outlets, but it is put in a more casual word instead of using a long drawn out explanation.

In the second article "Cool Minded Tricks That Give You An Edge" metaphors are used in the same capacity by using a more broad or generalized word to represent a larger explanation. For example, "Well science has proven that that is a bunch of crap." In the previous quote "science" is used instead of listing out the name of the researcher, the research company, etc. which would bore the audience that Cosmo is trying to reach. 

In the third article "In Defense of the Slacker Dude" metaphors are used to bring a more comical explanation to an article. In this particular article, a male writer is writing from his own prospective which generally is not seen in Cosmo. The male author uses the following quote: "Free from a biological clock, they appear to be flipping the bird at adulthood like never before." Particularly the metaphor of the male "flipping the bird" gives a more casual and comical explanation of not worrying about adulthood. He writes this metaphor to relate to his female audience because by using this metaphor the readers can relate because they have probably heard their male friends or boyfriends use the same type of language. 

As seen above, Cosmo is all about relating to its primary audience and in using metaphor they are better able to relate to said audience. Without the use of metaphor in this type of work, the articles would come across stuffy and boring to those whom the magazine is intended.

Cosmopoliatn. Sep 2011: n. page. Print.

Fantastical Children's Series in which Love is the Ultimate Weapon that Defeats Evil

In most works that are written for children there is some sort of lesson to be learned at the end of the story. Generally these novels end in a happy light with the lesson being right in front of the reader. In modern times, children's novels have tended to deal with fantastical topics from wizardry, future lands, alternate dimensions and super powers. And it seems that these novels always tend to end the same, with the child hero overcoming the villain. But there is a specific children's genre in which the ability to love and be loved is the ultimate weapon that overcomes the evil in the story.

One piece of work in which love overcomes evil is the very popular Harry Potter series. In this series, the basis of the story comes from the fact that Harry's mother dies to save him because she loves him. Throughout the series Harry is reminded of this fact, but fails to realize the power of love. Also Voldemort, the main villain in the series, is skeptical of the power that love can possess and continuously fails to realize that it is ultimately what could defeat him. Take for instance in the following quote:

"Is it love again?... Dumbledore's favorite solution, love, which he claimed conqured death, though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like an old waxwork? Love, which did not prevent me from stamping out your mudblood mother like a cockroach Potter--and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse. So what will stop you from dying now when I strike?"

It is apparent in this quote that Voldemort is highly skeptical that it is in fact love which saved Harry from him years earlier and that it will be love now that will save him again. And it is not long after Voldemort speaks these words that he meets his demise. It was the power that Harry got from his mother and father and all those that sacrificed themselves to save him, and the love that Harry had for his family and friends that was able to defeat the enemy in the end.

Another instant in which this is true is in the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. This series of novels takes place in a post apocalyptic world in which 12 districts are ruled by a single kingdom called the Capitol. The Capitol, each year, forces 2 children from each of the 12 districts to compete in the Hunger Games, in which the victor is the one who survived. These games were broadcasted every year for the enjoyment of the people of the Capitol. The main character Katniss, was originally not selected for the Hunger Games, but took her sister's spot when her name was drawn. In an effort to win over the affections of the people of the Capitol, Katniss's district's male counterpart, Petta, is displayed as her lover and that the pair are being torn apart from the games. Katniss and Petta make it out of the games together because of their love and it is their love that starts the rebellion. In the following quote it is apparent that Katniss and Petta's love is growing:

"This is the first kiss that we are fully aware of. Neither of us hobbled by sickness or pain or simply unconscious. Our lips neither burning with fever or icy cold. This is the first kiss where I actually feel stirring inside my chest. Warm and curious. This is the first kiss that makes me want another."

Even after this one moment it still takes the majority of the series for Katniss to realize that she is actually in love with Petta and that their courtship was more than an act. In the end of the series it is their love and the love of those who sacrificed their lives for the rebellion that defeats the Capitol enemy in the end.

A third series in which love conquers all is the series that came from A Wrinkle in Time. In the main character, Meg, has her father taken from her by IT to another dimension. In an effort to save her father, Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and her friend Calvin. Meg and her companions go through a series of trials and tribulations in which Meg's loyalty for her brother, friend and father are tested. In an effort to saver their father, Charles Wallace, sacrifices himself and is taken prisoner by IT. In order to save her brother, Meg must get into IT's kingdom. Meg is told by the W's, that she has a weapon that IT does not have and it is ultimately what will defeat him. Meg final realizes that love is the weapon that she must use. It is her love for her brother that is able to defeat IT, as seen in the following quote:

"If she could give love to IT perhaps it would shrivel up and die, for she was sure that IT could not withstand love. But she in all her weakness and foolishness and baseness and nothingness, was incapable of loving IT. Perhaps it was not too much to ask of her, but she could not do it. But she could love Charles Wallace."

The similarities between these 3 examples are numerous. In all of the pieces, some type of sacrifice is made by multiple people. In general a family member makes the first sacrifice, Harry's mother sacrifices herself for him, Katniss sacrifices herself for her sister and Charles Wallace sacrifices himself for his father. As each of these series progresses, more people sacrifice themselves for love. In each of these works as well, the characters go on some sort of a journey, and eventually are able to discover that love is the tool that they should be using to defeat their enemies. The final similarity is that even after all of the sacrifice and hardships that the characters face, each of these stories ends in the happy, lesson learned setting that all children's books revolve around.