“The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself” (Mark Twain). More often than not people go through life questioning their self-worth. No matter who it is, every individual experiences this process of finding self-acceptance. As humans we ask for the approval from the larger society in fear of being the one that is unattractive, too thin or too fat, too poor, too black or too white. However, at some point the individual must not look for approval from the outside but rather from within. This exact notion is echoed in the Sylvia Plath’s poem “Metaphors”. Plath’s poem uniquely illustrates her own battle with self-acceptance. On the surface it may seem that Plath is struggling with her pregnancy, but on a deeper level Plath is truly struggling with loving herself. Plath cleverly uses metaphors of size to highlight this process of self-acceptance. 

 Right from the start Plath uses the size metaphor of an elephant to describe herself. Because an elephant is often viewed as an enormous, unattractive and ungraceful animal, the reader immediately gets the negative tone Plath wishes to express. Plath is uneasy about her indifferences and sees herself as a distasteful and large human being. She follows this up with describing herself as a “ponderous house” (Sylvia Plath). This particular metaphor goes hand and hand with her seeing herself as an elephant. As a ponderous house, she thinks of herself as  clumsy, slow and immovable. She is a house that looks awkward in the neighborhood. She is a house that is broken and unwanted in this larger society. Plath cleverly places this stigma at the start of poem to exemplify the process of self-acceptance. Like Plath the process starts with the individual feeling unwanted by themselves and society. He or she feels broken and unmovable from their current discomfort. Like the individual, Plath feels stuck in a house furnished with negativity. 

However, Plath continues through this journey of acceptance. Towards the middle of the poem, Plath starts to question whether or not her indifferences are truly a bad or good thing. Similar to this process of finding yourself, Plath focuses on the advantages of her situation. She starts to view herself as a “loaf with its yeasty risings” (Sylvia Plath). This particular line is significant because it is the first glimpse of positivity from Plath. She again uses metaphors of size in this instant to express how she feels. As a loaf with yeasty risings she is person with change. She is no longer a person stuck in a situation. Instead she is a person who is growing both physically and mentally. Furthermore, she continues to show glimpse of acceptance when describing herself as fat purse with new minted money. This certain line is important because it is the first instance where Plath is describing herself as something elegant and needed. For many (women), a purse is a necessary accessory for style and elegance. Plath sees herself as something that could possibly be wanted and admired. On the other hand, the new minted money illustrated her feeling that something new has emerged within her that is ultimately something of value. 

Towards the end, Plath begins to present this implication of true self-acceptance. The first instance of this is with Plath’s line, “I’ve eaten a bag of green apples” (Sylvia Plath). Green apples are often known as the most bitter and sour type of apple. By eating a bag of them, Plath has emphasized that she has eaten away the negative and sour thoughts she has had about herself. The negative indifferences that once mattered to Plath were now impractical. She continues this step to acceptance with the last line, “Boarded the train there’s no getting off”. The train in this occasion represents the long trip for self-acceptance. The metaphor of a train is particularly significant because trains can be viewed as durable, grounded and movable objects. A train is always moving forward and that is what Plath intends to do. At this point in the poem, it is evident that Plath’s demeanor changed to one of confidence and acceptance. “There’s no getting off” bluntly tells the reader that she is committed to the process and to herself. Plath has boarded a grounded life and acceptance would be the destination. 

 “To be nobody but yourself in a world that’s doing its best to make you somebody else, is to fight the hardest battle you are ever going to fight. Never stop fighting” (E. E. Cummings). Is Plath’s poem “Metaphors” trying to inspire others to continue to fight this battle? It is clear Plath is fighting a battle for approval of herself. At first she is suffocated by the trivialities she experiences such as her size and self-worth. However, she fights and finds glimpses of positivity through the process. She becomes committed to the battle and determined to come at ease with herself. Yes, at the surface this poem addresses her discomfort with pregnancy, but when one looks deeper the discomfort is more with herself. Sylvia Plath ultimately took it upon herself to highlight this issue in society. She took it upon herself to cleverly inspire people to continue to fight, to eat away the indifferences one might feel, to board the train and never look back, to board the train and ask the single question, are we there yet?
