Confessing to Parents
Nita decides to confess the whole history of her entryway into the wizarding world to her parents. Essentially, this is a summary of the first book in the series, but the use of metaphor allows for robust editing of details. “She told them the story from the beginning…that terrible night when the forces of darkness got loose in Manhattan and would have turned first the city and then the world into a place bound in eternal night and cold.” The use of the all-encompassing metaphor of the modern age—darkness—being set loose is an image which can convey a wealth of information without slowing down for nuance. Darkness covers all.
Unintended Irony
Certain details clue the reader immediately into the realization that this book was written and set before the modern computer age. “Inside that sudden oneness, she felt the freeze spell waiting like a phone number with all but one digit dialed.” This simile situates a certain unintended and unforeseen irony within the book for the today’s readers. The story is about kids using magic, communicating with sea creatures, and doing all other assorted amazing things, but still have to dial a phone. Or, for that matter, still use a phone for talking to other people.
Hated Inventions
Two of the most unpopular inventions man ever conceived are combined together to kick of a new chapter. “The alarm clock went off right above Nita’s head, a painful blasting buzz like a dentist’s drill.” The effectiveness of this simile is almost universally guaranteed wherever alarm clocks and dentists reside because almost everyone can relate to the unpleasant sound they produce and the associated emotional response they engender.
Squid Attack
A giant squid attack produces a cornucopia of metaphorical comparisons resulting from their idiosyncratic anatomical attributes. “The water was dark with night, thick with squid ink, and scratchy with stirred sand.” The metaphorical connection to the darkness of night carries just enough of a literal quality to make it more tangible. The additional quality of the water thickening and creating physical discomfort all serve to bring the otherworldly nature of a battling giant squids into the realm of the believable.
Maturation
On one level this is a story about maturation. The center of that thematic element is Nita who must do a lot of growing up in a short amount of time. She gains valuable assistance from a shark named Ed. “She was glad Ed said nothing for a while, for her insides gripped and churned as she finally found out what real, grown-up fear was.” Ed is an ancient shark and develops a close bond with Nita, but he is still a shark, and she is still a young girl. There are occasional moments when those two irrefutable realities come precariously close to conflict. Ed is a mentor, but one that always carries the seeming threat of menace. In this way, he could also be considered a metaphor himself for maturation in the way that his presence sometimes makes her feel afraid.
