Let's face it: when a woman's pregnant, her looks change. That's just a fact of life. And it's this fact that Plath chooses to hone in on her pregnancy poem, "Metaphors." The visual imagery describing the new look of the pregnant speaker just goes to show that when you're with child, the world looks at you differently. And for Plath, that's not a good thing.
Questions About Appearances
- How do you picture the speaker of this poem in your head? What images jump out at you the most?
- Do you think the metaphors in this poem accurately describe a pregnant woman? Why or why not?
- How do you think the speaker feels the appearance of a woman changes or does not change how she is perceived by society? Do you agree? Why or why not?
- How important do you think appearances are in this poem?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The imagery in this poem shows us that even when pregnant, a woman's appearance is prized over anything else.
This poem shows how the changes in appearance caused by being pregnant can affect women negatively.