Metaphor

A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things. A metaphor suggests that one thing IS another thing, or is equal to another thing.

Example From Text

I arose and argued about trifles in a high key…

Explanation

Poe compares the narrator's voice to a musical instrument––something that sounds in a musical key. We know the narrator's voice has gone up, so what does that tell us about how he's feeling at this moment?