Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “The Moon” is a lyrical description of the rising moon that conveys its many roles and guises. From “a dying lady lean and pale” to a companionless wanderer, the moon fails to acquire a distinct identity or end its searching. Shelley’s use of metaphor conveys the moon’s dissatisfaction and restlessness as it roams the heavens.

Skills: analysis, drawing inferences from text, close reading, identifying the relationship between words

About This Document

The Owl Eyes Analyzing Metaphor worksheet gives students an opportunity to practice examining and analyzing metaphors. Students will engage with specific selections of the text and work collaboratively to identify the vehicle, tenor, and implications of each metaphor. The main components include the following:

• A brief introduction to the text
• A detailed handout on metaphor types
• A step-by-step guide to activity procedure
• A detailed answer key for teachers

In completing this worksheet, students will learn to classify and analyze different kinds of metaphors in order to develop close reading skills and draw deeper inferences from the text.