The poetic quality of metaphor
by Kenneth John Braun
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts
Montana State University
© Copyright by Kenneth John Braun (1983)
Abstract:
no abstract found in this volume 
THE POETIC QUALITY OF METAPHOR
by
Kenneth John Braun
A th e s i s  subm itted  in  p a r t i a l  fu l f i l lm e n t  
o f  th e  requ irem en ts f o r  th e  degree
o f
M aster o f  F ine A rts
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY 
Bozeman, Montana
June 1983
-MAattiS=
C o p . 3
APPROVAL
o f  a  th e s i s  subm itted  by-
Kenneth John Braun
This th e s i s  has been read  by each member o f  th e  th e s i s  committee 
and has been found to  be s a t i s f a c to r y  rega rd ing  c o n te n t , E ng lish  usage , 
fo rm at, c i t a t i o n s ,  b ib lio g ra p h ic  s t y l e ,  and co n s is te n cy , and i s  ready 
fo r  subm ission to  th e  College o f  G raduate S tu d ie s .
Date ^C h a irp e rs o n , G raduate Committee
Approved fo r  th e  Major Department
nffaNj I
Date
Approved fo r  th e  College o f  Graduate S tud ies
Date Graduate Dean
- - -  - «....LJArOiTU I ik rmm ,  D
i i i
STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE , i
In  p re s en tin g  t h i s  th e s i s  in  p a r t i a l  fu l f i l lm e n t  o f  th e  
requ irem en ts fo r  a m a s te r 's  degree a t  Montana S ta te  U n iv e rs ity , I-  
agree th a t  th e  L ib ra ry  s h a l l  make i t  a v a ila b le  to  borrowers under 
ru le s  o f  th e  L ib ra ry . B r ie f  q u o ta tio n s  from th i s  th e s i s  a re  a llow ­
ab le  w ithou t s p e c ia l  p e rm iss io n , p rov ided  th a t  a ccu ra te  acknowledgment 
o f  source  is . made.
Perm ission  fo r  ex ten s iv e  q u o ta tio n  from o r  rep rodu c tio n  o f  th i s  
th e s i s  may be g ran ted  by my major p ro f e s s o r ,  o r  in  h is  ab sence , by th e  
D ire c to r  o f  L ib ra r ie s  when, in  th e  op in ion  o f  e i t h e r ,  th e  proposed 
use o f  th e  m a te r ia l  i s  f o r  s c h o la r ly  pu rpo ses. Any copying o r  use o f  
th e  m a te r ia l  in  t h i s  th e s i s  fo r  f in a n c ia l  g a in  s h a l l  n o t be allowed 
•without my w r i t te n  p e rm iss ion .
IARTIST’S STATEMENT
The p o e t ic  q u a l i ty  o f  metaphor i s  im po rtan t in  my work. The most 
a t t r a c t i v e  a sp ec t o f  metaphor i s  in  th e  a b i l i t y  o f  images to  make 
in fe re n c e s , th a t  a re  seem ingly u n re la ted  to  t h e i r  own phy s ica l 
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .  The images th en  become a v e h ic le  fo r  a  shadowed sense 
o r  mood th a t  i s  more p o e tic  th an  p ro s a ic  in  f e e l .  I en joy  enhancing 
t h i s  p o e tic  n a tu re  by in v en ting  s i tu a t io n s  o r  con tex ts  th a t  have a 
d ram atic  f l a v o r . I f in d  th a t  th e  image th en  p ro je c ts  i t s  own cu riou s  
r e a l i t y ,  s ep a ra te  from mere l i t e r a l  d e p ic t io n . In  some in s ta n c e s ,
I employ an alm ost iconograph ic  p re s e n ta t io n  to  my im agery, w h ile  in  
o th e rs  u s ing  a more n a r r a t iv e  approach. Both have advantages th a t  a llow  
me to  p la y  upon th e  d ram atic  elem ent I am fond o f  e x h ib i t in g .  The 
source  f o r  my work i s  more a r e s u l t  o f  seek ing  a  mood o r  sense  compli­
mentary to  my own s e n s i b i l i t i e s ,  sometimes a llu d in g  to  s e l f ,  o th e r  
tim es r e f le c t in g  a r e la t io n s h ip  between m yself and my immediate env iron ­
ment. The source o f  my imagery i s  g e n e ra lly  drawn from th e  w orld  o f 
o b je c ts  th a t  surround me. I t  i s  t h e i r  common everyday ,q u a l i t i e s  th a t  
p rov ide  me w ith  a g re a t many p o s s i b i l i t i e s  o f  combination . The ch arac ­
t e r  o f  t h e i r  combination in  my work i s  e x c it in g  to  me, in  th a t  i t  f r e e s  
me from th e  p a s t  experience  o f  fo rc in g  a  preem inent sense o f  meaning upon 
image. The combinations r e f le c te d  become more a  p o e tic  response on my 
p a r t ,  to  an in tu i t e d  r e la t io n s h ip , o ften tim es  o r ig in a tin g  from allow ing 
c o n tra s t in g  o r  u n re la te d  images to  Combine, I a lso  f e e l  th a t  the  p o e tic
2q u a l i ty  o f  metaphor in  my work induces an ob server re spon se , con­
f ro n t in g  h is  own s e n s i b i l i t i e s .
3LIST OF SLIDES
1 House o f  Cards 
3Mx4"
2 Worm Salesman 
3”x4M
3 Feeding th e  Lion 
3Mx4"
4 H ardboiled  Eggs 
3"x4"
5 O ff th e  Rack 
3"x4M
6 Ring Game 
3”x4"
7 Arson 
4"x5"
8 Small Is la n d s  
4"x5"
9 Scarecrow 
4Mx5"
10 F o re s t 
4"x5”
11 Through th e  Hoop 
8%"xl0"
12 Shallow  Grave 
6%"x4%M
13 Barroon Muse 
13%"xl2"
14 Crown Scene 
I2%"x8"
15 Graven Image 
24"x36"
16 Spontaneous Combustion 
' 24"x36"
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The poetic quality of metaphor /
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