The paper deals with the relationship between the conventional metaphorical expressions based on basic conceptual metaphors (root analogies) and the nonconventional creative metaphors produced by extension, elaboration, mixing, or other methods of combining basic metaphors. The analysis is based on a cognitive theory of metaphors as outlined by G. Lakoff, M. Johnson and M. Turner (1980, 1987, 1989), and the more recent work of A. Goatly (1997), G. Steen (1994), T. Krzeszowski (1993), D. C. Freeman (1993), etc. The corpus includes metaphors from the following novels: 'The Ambassadors', 'The Wings of the Dove', and 'The Golden Bowl' by H. James. The introductory section deals with the theoretical background and presents a review of the theories of metaphor starting with Aristotle's views on metaphor to the most recent philosophical and psychological studies. The first section presents the cognitive approach to metaphor based on the belief that most of our conceptual system is metaphorically structured. The second section deals with the difference between the so-called root analogies and more complex, creative metaphors. It briefly reviews the techniques employed in the creation of creative metaphors with special attention paid to the presence of axiological dynamism in image schemata and in metaphors based on these schemas. The third section includes the classification of metaphors according to the source domains and image schemata in light of the cognitive approach to metaphor. The classification includes the analysis of ontological metaphors such as Personification/Depersonification and Reification with special emphasis on the expression of value judgments in metaphorical expressions. The last section deals with the interplay of metaphors, their productivity, and the contribution of such complex metaphors to the coherence of a literary work (LLBA, Adapted from the source document, Accession Number 200502805, (c) CSA [2000]. All rights reserved.)