“Sunlight Over the Well” - A Metaphor for Conflict
A key merit of the essay “Sunlight over the Well” is the brilliant beginning which captures the imagination of the reader, making us feel we are a part of the scene. The vividness of the author’s descriptive vocabulary draws in the reader, making the storyline increasingly interesting. The essay takes the reader on a journey through the author’s various emotional, spiritual, and internal struggles by conveying various aspects of his life, taking the reader down memory lane. The author keeps the reader in suspense by combining flashbacks with present day events to pique the reader’s interest in what might come next. In “Sunlight and the Well,” Sam Guthrie skillfully uses metaphors to represent …show more content…
The reader feels the intensity of the sun beating down at high noon, the image of discomfort felt by the creatures at the bottom, and the effort by these creatures to escape heat and light, metaphors for pain and discomfort. We are drawn Tullos 2 toward the analogy that the author himself is trying to escape the discomfort of a light shining into the dark corners of his emotions, revealing his pain and internal conflict.
The reader’s sense that the well and the creatures escaping sunlight are a metaphor are reinforced by the next line of the passage which reveals the guru’s declaration that “In the same way, our deepest emotional wounds come into awareness when we open ourselves to the spiritual force of a real guru.”
The simple vocabulary reveals the metaphor and brings the authors internal struggle into focus. This basic analogy frames a complicated issue in a manner which seems easier to comprehend, and makes the reader feel as if they are the ones to shine the light on the author’s struggles. This technique also creates a powerful visual image in the mind of the reader. We can really see the slimy creatures trying to crawl out of the light, and figuratively, we can feel their hurt and pain. In a metaphorical sense, we come to understand how we can become aware of one’s own hurt and pain when we truly allow ourselves to open up and allow the light to shine in and illuminate our