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Literal Metaphor: Difference between revisions
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[[Alice and Bob|Alice]] uses a figure of speech. Bob reiterates the usual metaphorical meaning. Alice says no, she meant it literally.
There's also a variation in which Bob questions the metaphor, and Alice responds ''[[Ask a Stupid Question|sarcastically]]'' that she meant it literally. See also [[Visual Pun]] for when a play on words is given literal visualization. Related to [[Not Hyperbole]], where what seems like an exaggeration isn't, and [[Made From Real Girl Scouts]], where the literal meaning is true... and you really wish it wasn't.
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'''Scott:''' I'm not kidding! Look!
'''Cooper:''' Oh, holy shit! }}
* This happens in ''[[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade]]''. Searching in a crypt under a library (which was an old converted church), Indiana Jones says, "Rats." Dr. Schneider asks what's wrong, and he repeats his statement, pointing out hundreds of rats moving around in the tunnel.
* In ''[[Hocus Pocus]]'', the witches sing "I Put a Spell on You" to a crowd of party-goers. It puts them into a trance.
* Happens in ''[[Mrs. Doubtfire]]''.
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* ''[[Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency|Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency]]'' had [[Eskimo Words for Snow]] gag running into this:
{{quote|The word "impossible" is not in my dictionary. In fact, everything between "herring" and "marmalade" appears to be missing.}}
** A [[Brick Joke]]; earlier, when his secretary had tried to put the dictionary in a desk drawer it was too thick, so she ripped a handful of pages out.
* In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Tom Riddle tells Wormtail he will get to "perform a task most [his] followers would give their right hand to perform" - little does Wormtail know that to perform the task you literally have to sacrifice your right hand as a flesh offering for Dark Magic.
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{{quote|'''Rachel''': I wish you could all feel what’s it like to have your hearts ripped out.
'''Anyanka''': Wish granted. }}
* ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''
** One doctor does this a few times, saying that "[[No Longer with Us|we lost him]]" when a patient escaped, "it looks like he's dead" to refer to a patient covered in blue paint, and "he's going to be all right" after {{spoiler|Buster loses his left hand}}.
** In another episode, Michael repeatedly asked his imprisoned father about finances, only to be told "There's money in the banana stand." Michael assumes that just meant that the sales from the banana stand would always be there but really {{spoiler|the banana stand is lined with $250,000 in unmarked bills but Michael doesn't learn about it until after the stand burns to the ground}}.
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'''Dean:''' Seriously. Hell. }}
* ''[[Doctor Who]]''
** In one of the Sontaran episodes of ''Nu Who'', when describing the ATMOS GPS system while driving:
{{quote|'''Russ:''' It drives me round the bend.}}
** And again in "Flesh and Stone", the Doctor tells Amy to "get a grip"... {{spoiler|because the Weeping Angels are about to drain the last of the Byzantium's energy and accidentally deactivate the artificial gravity.}}
* In the new ''[[Battlestar Galactica Reimagined|Battlestar Galactica]]'', Baltar asks the "imaginary" [[Fan Nickname|Head]] [[Ms. Fanservice|Six]] what she really is. Her response? {{spoiler|An angel of God sent to guide humanity. And it turns out that she was being completely serious}}.
* In an episode of ''[[I Dream of Jeannie]]'', Major Healey has invited everyone to a party in his completely bare apartment. He tells Major Nelson that new furniture would be installed "in the blink of an eye. Um, where did you say Jeannie was?"
* From the ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' episode "1969":
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* Something similar happens in ''[[Grim Fandango]]'', with Glottis complaining that being fired is like they reached into his chest, tore out his heart, and tossed it into the woods, while '''doing exactly that''' to himself. This is rather too serious for Manny to bother questioning the odd choice of metaphor or why he's bothering to act it out literally at the same time.
* ''[[Evil Genius (video game)|Evil Genius]]'' has a brainwashing device for restoring a minion's smarts. How does it ''restore'' smarts, you ask? It sucks the patient's brain out through their ear, washes it with a special chemical concoction, then sticks it back in again.
* ''[[Command
{{quote|'''Havoc:''' Cow.
'''Sydney:''' ... PIG!
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'''Alexsi:''' ''(not looking)'' I'm sure they are, Dan... }}
* ''[[Everyday Heroes]]''
** Jane confesses to her neighbor Joan that she used to be a villain. When Joan expresses doubt, Jane assures her it's true; "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt!" And to prove it, she [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=116236 shows Joan the T-shirt]. (Also a [[Shout-Out]] to ''[[Narbonic]]''.)
** Also, it's not polite to say "don't get all bent out of shape" to a man with a [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=175292 spinal injury].
* ''[[The Order of the Stick]]''
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== Web Original ==
* ''[[Atop the Fourth Wall]]'': Where bad comics burn. This is ''usually'' a figure of speech referring to the comic being [[Caustic Critic|critically roasted]], but on three occasions thus far he has literally set the comics on fire once he's finished reviewing them.
* [[Jesu Otaku]] often says metaphorical-sounding things in her anime reviews immediately before showing clips of those exact things happening--for instance, that one villain crushes the heroes' lives like marbles, or that another abandons the goals for which his sister sacrificed everything and [[Brother-Sister Incest|screws her]].
* [[Transolar Galactica]]'s first episode revolves around Captain Trigger ordering his helmsman to steer to the "second star to the right, straight on 'til morning".
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== Western Animation ==
* Used in ''[[Stroker and Hoop]]'' to turn protecting [[MacGuffin|the sword of the fire lotus]] into a [[Shaggy Dog Story]], when all it did was [[Power Glows|light up]].
{{quote|'''Villain:''' The ancient scrolls said its power shone like a lantern... We always assumed it was a metaphor.
'''Stroker:''' Yeah... I guess it must have seemed a lot cooler before they invented flashlights. }}
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'''Man:''' No problem. ''(beat)'' [[Rule of Three|Your wife's hot!]]<br />
'''Peter:''' All right, that's it! }}
** In another episode, Peter is trying to organize Stewie's first birthday party but one of the only things he could find was a "big-ass piñata"; pan over to show a large papier-mâché butt. Brian responds "I sure hope ''candy'' comes out of that."
* ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]''
** Used a couple of times in the episode "Comet Kermillian". While at the park, Candace's screams of "I have [[Squirrels in My Pants]]!" are misinterpreted by a couple of performers, who think she's referring to her crazy dance moves. Then the squirrels get out, and one of the guys comments, "We just got served." Later on, when [[It Makes Sense in Context|steaks are falling from the sky]], the same guy catches one and comments, "We keep getting served."
** Parodied in "Let's Take a Quiz".
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