The economy had punctured like a tire.
During the 2010 recession in the USA, many businesses closed down. The surviving businesses had no option but to downsize their workforce to cope with the high cost of operations. The narrator likens the bad state of the financial system to a punctured tire when she says, "The economy had punctured like a tire." The bad state of the economy left several graduates jobless. For instance, all the narrator's graduate mates stayed without jobs for several months.
My boss said like a god granting a boon: $23 per hour.
When the narrator gets a job, she discusses with her boss the hourly pay. The narrator suggests $30 per hour, but the boss exclaims that it is too high for a beginner. The narrator states, "My boss said like a god granting a boon: $23 per hour." The simile is significant because it shows recruits' challenges when they get their first jobs. For instance, the boss, in this case, wants to pay the narrator below the minimum wage. The narrator has no option but to accept the offer despite it being lower than her expectations.
The little boy (simile)
The narrator recalls the day she missed her uncle's funeral. In her traditions, people feast as a way of honoring the dead persons. However, missing the funeral means the narrator misses an opportunity to eat. The narrator says, "Would have shoveled red matta rice, coconut parippu, and beans into my mouth like a greedy little boy." The simile is significant because it shows the narrator is closely connected with her cultural practices, especially honoring the dead.
