Chung and Miller (2011) conducted a study on American multicultural students about the use of metaphor:

Beyond What We Already Know

Specifically, they examine four uses of metaphor in the English language. The first discussed is how "metaphor can be as an analytical tool to look into people's minds. By examining metaphors that people use in describing their beliefs, we can understand people through more than what they say, because the metaphors reflect what they have experienced and what they believe to be true" (Chung & Miller, 2011, n.p.).

How might one employ metaphors in critical thought to analyze difficult concepts? What could one hope to learn about somebody else based on the metaphors they use?

References

Chung, M., & Miller, J. (2011). Do we live in a box of crayons?: Looking at multicultural metaphors written by teachers. Multicultural Education, 18(4), 39-45.