Student Question
What are some analogies in "If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth"?
Quick answer:
In "If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth," analogies are used to enhance imagery and convey themes. Similes and metaphors compare the landscape and situations to evoke vivid images, such as "islands of fire" to describe sunlit mountains, and Earth as a "funeral pyre," illustrating its destruction. The Colony is metaphorically described as an "oasis of life," contrasting with Earth's devastation. These analogies highlight the story's themes of loss, hope, and survival.
In Arthur C. Clarke's short story "If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth," we meet Marvin, whose father is taking him on a trip to "the Outside" for the first time. The story begins with lots of imagery and description before we get into analogies in the form of similes and metaphors. Analogies make comparisons; in the form of a simile, the writer compares two unlike things using "like" or "as."
At almost the halfway point of the story as Marvin's father speeds across this land that has as yet been unknown to Marvin, the narrator says, "Father was driving with a reckless and exhilarating skill as if—it was a strange thought to come into a child's mind—he were trying to escape from something." Marvin imagines that his father is driving recklessly as if trying to evade some unknown force. In the same paragraph following more imagery describing the...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
landscape, the narrator writes, "The crests of the mountains, catching the low sun, burned like islands of fire in a sea of darkness: and above them the stars still shone as steadfastly as ever." The effect of the sun shining on the mountains is compared to burning "islands of fire." This simile allows us to picture the radiant light and to understand how extreme the view is to Marvin.
Eventually, we become aware that Marvin is viewing Earth from a distance, totally in awe of the sight. He wonders why he and his father cannot live there:
Why could they not return? It seemed so peaceful beneath those lines of marching cloud. Then Marvin, his eyes no longer blinded by the glare, saw that the portion of the disk that should have been in darkness was gleaming faintly with an evil phosphorescence: and he remembered. He was looking upon the funeral pyre of a world— upon the radioactive aftermath of Armageddon.
The narrator relates that Earth is now uninhabitable: a "funeral pyre of a world." This metaphor compares the planet to the way some cultures put their dead to rest: by burning their bodies on a pile of flammable materials. This is a vivid analogy that conveys the utter hopelessness of living on Earth again. On the contrary, their current abode, known as the Colony, is a "little oasis of life." Again this analogy in the form of a metaphor shows that the Colony provides relief in a world that is mostly marked by destruction and death.
Ultimately, we leave Marvin with some sense of hope that he or his children will one day return to Earth, but he also imagines he will continue to pass this story on as his father has passed it to him. The ambiguous ending leaves us wondering how much hope really is left and how long it can be kept alive.