Fire
A character named Suleman fights against the horrors of plantation slavery using a bow, arrow, and fire. “Suleman yearned for this fire opera, knew it because he’d written it. He was the conductor.” The fire opera refers to the act of shooting a lighted arrow into a barn. The result is a symphony of chaos and distraction which allows for the intended consequence of escape by the enslaved.
Monsters
Setting is an integral literary component in this story. Much of the narrative is set within the murky swamplands. “Ada sat up and watched the trees as if they were monsters on the attack.” The use of simile to compare the appearance of trees to monsters reflects the ingrained fear of living in bondage during the slavery era. Anything can take on the menace of a threat and the topography of the swamps is naturally suited to preying upon these fears.
Satisfaction
The plantation owner’s young daughter does not share her father’s view toward a lack of humanity of those he keeps as slaves. She makes efforts against his will to help them escape. “A tiny bud of satisfaction began to grow in her heart.” This metaphor reflects the growing sense of humanity being nurtured not by parental influence, but Nora’s own awareness of simple morality. What begins here as a bud will soon blossom into a flowering of conscious rebellion against not just her father but the entire system of slavery.
Invisibility
Parts of the book are narrated in the first person by an escaped slave named Homer. “Invisibility was how I survived.” Invisibility in this sense is a metaphor for doing nothing to bring attention to himself. He goes on to explain how any attention, even the seemingly good kind, always winds up resulting in negative consequences for the life of a slave.
Spotlight
“Ada’s voice was like a bolt lightning cracking in the night sky. Everything was illuminated.” This metaphorical imagery describes the unintended consequence of one person unknowingly providing information to others that the others don’t want known. Ada cries out to Homer asking if he is going to see a character named Two Shoes. Homer doesn’t want Two Shoes to know he’s coming, and Two Shoes doesn’t want anyone to know he’s there. Ada’s shout metaphorically shines a spotlight on both at once.
