The White Sphere (Simile)
Paula Fox commences her novel by making a vivid description of Bentwoods' living room which plays a significant role in helping readers to have a sense of sight on how the house looks. She compares Bentwoods' living room to a half-white sphere when she writes, "….Bentwoods could glance down the length of their living room where, at this hour, a standing lamp with a shade like half a white sphere was always lit, and they could, if they chose, view the old cedar planks of the floor….”
The Crow’s Nest (Simile)
When Sophie realizes that the cat is back, she notifies Otto of its presence but he is not moved because there is nothing strange about it. Otto is asking Sophie if she is surprised since there is nothing significant about the reappearance of the cat. However, Sophie is concerned about the cat because at some point it nibbled her and she is nursing a wound out of it. She is disappointed that Otto is not concerned and she looks at him with disbelief. The author says, "Sophie Looked beyond Otto’s shoulder at the glass door that opened onto a small wooden stoop, suspended above the back yard like a crow’s nest.”
The Cat (Metaphor)
Paula Fox is using the cat metaphorically to depict the true picture of Otto. There is a complete contrast between Sophie and Otto concerning animals. Sophie is portrayed as a caring woman who values animals at all costs despite their dangerous habits. She is concerned about the well-being of the cat and she trying her level best to help it. However, from the beginning, Otto is not interested in the health of the cat and he does not like the idea that it is back. He considers all cats as thugs and disrespectful animals. Otto tells Sophie, "Ignore the cat, do you want all the wild cats in Brooklyn holding a vigil on our porch?........they are all pussycat you know. They are thugs.” Therefore, the author depicts Otto as an individual who does not value animals like cats.
Goddamn Bongos (Metaphor)
The author uses "goddamn bongos" metaphorically to represent bad omen in society. Otto and Sophie live in a society that does not believe in rituals. Lately, Otto has observed that the lights are staying late and the days are getting longer an indication that it is likely to start raining. However, Otto is hoping that the locals are not going to engage in bongo playing which can stop the rain. Otto says, "The days are getting longer, I hope the locals don't start up with their goddamn bongos. Perhaps it will rain the way it did last spring.” Consequently, goddamn bongos represent bad omen or rituals that bring a curse to society.
Solidity (Simile)
Paula Fox describes how the house felt after Otto muttered at the cat and it ran away. Otto always considers the cat as the source of disturbance in the house. When he sees the cat ramming against the glass door, he shouts at it calling it ugly bastard. The cat gets scared and it moves away. At this point, Otto feels that the house is solidly powerful. The author writes, “The house felt powerfully solid to him; the sense of that solidity was like a hand placed firmly in the small of his back.”
