Tickling the toi-toi : setting and metaphor in prose : a critical and creative thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Creative Writing, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand. EMBARGOED until 27th May 2028

Abstract

This thesis has two components: the creative component, which is my collection of short stories, and a critical component, which explores setting and metaphor through an analysis of Janet Frame’s novel Owls Do Cry. The critical component of the thesis examines Frame’s use of setting and its role in complementing metaphor. It examines how multi-layered and descriptive details of Aotearoa’s landscape, historical time, and social milieu contribute to the novel’s realism and enhances its verisimilitude. And it investigates how this realism of setting underpins and complements metaphor. Research shows that metaphor is grounded in the real world. This is because humans are fundamentally metaphorical beings. As such, metaphor is not just a characteristic of language but is part of our conceptual system. My own fiction explores the use of setting and its role as a vehicle for metaphor. The stories seek to employ settings that are multi-layered and include descriptive details of the New Zealand environment. This is to enhance the realism and verisimilitude of the stories and to facilitate metaphor.