Abstract

Cognitive metaphor theory is essential for understanding abstract concepts such as life, which is widely conceptualized as a journey within human experience. This metaphor—“life is a journey”—pervades diverse cultural and literary contexts. In Etgar Keret's short story “Pineapple Crush”, this traditional metaphor is deconstructed, resulting in conceptual shifts in the meaning of life. This study employs close reading and content analysis to discover and examine conceptual shifts in the meaning of life and to evaluate their influence on the narrative. The results indicate that life is conceptualized as an ugly low table in a living room, abandoned by its former inhabitant. Moreover, life is conceptualized as an infinite journey, contesting the conventional meaning of life. These multiple conceptualizations challenge the traditional metaphor of life and provoke an existential struggle that constitutes the narrative's underlying tension, propelling the plot forward.

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