Often, sports journalists use metaphors to describe athletes or sports. Sometimes, athletes are described as warriors; competition is equated to war. Other times athletes are graceful. Perhaps an athlete is a ballet dancer or a magician.
When I describe my soccer playing daughter as a ballet dancer, I am not using any literary device. On the field, she dances.
first-youth-soccer-game - Images by bryan farley
She is six. This is her first year; these photos are from her first youth soccer game. She has already danced for two years, so I understand that she would dance instead of run towards the ball.
At least she enjoyed herself.
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