Rock Bottom (metaphor)
In the story "Nettles," the protagonist is walking with Mike as he reveals a deeply traumatic experience. Mike accidentally killed his youngest child, Brian, in a tragic accident. This revelation is impactful and described as Mike hitting "rock bottom." The metaphor indicates the depth of Mike's despair and guilt. It signifies the lowest point in his life, where the emotional burden is heaviest and the self-blame is overwhelming. It highlights the isolation or sadness experienced by someone who has undergone such a personal tragedy. The notion that Mike and his wife "share a knowledge of it—that cool, empty, locked, and central space" emphasizes how this grief has become a core part of their lives. Thus, it binds them in their shared sorrow of this unfathomable loss.
Landslide of Meaning (metaphor)
The narrator states, “How all my own territory would be altered, as if a landslide had gone through it and skimmed off all meaning except the loss of Mike.” The narrator reflecting on the departure of Mike uses this metaphor. They recall how Mike's sudden absence transformed their perception of their surroundings, which left behind a sense of emptiness. A landslide is a natural disaster that disrupts and transforms the landscape. Similarly, Mike's absence causes an upheaval in the character's emotional world. It strips away the familiar and leaves behind an altered reality defined by loss. This metaphor stresses the permanence of the character's grief as their environment is changed by the void.
Deck of a Boat (simile)
In the story "Floating Bridge," the narrator asserts, "Then he took his hand away, left her to walk on these planks which were like the deck of a boat." This simile appears when the characters are walking on a floating bridge. The narrator compares the planks of the bridge to the deck of a boat to indicate the unsteady movement caused by their footsteps. This description helps the reader visualize the scene adding some intimacy and vulnerability, as the characters navigate this slightly precarious path together.
Cold as a Secret Poultice (simile)
In "What Is Remembered," the narrator states, "My-love-my-love, she would mutter in a harsh, mechanical way, the words a secret poultice." This simile is used to describe how the character processes her intense recollections and emotions. The comparison of the muttered words to a "secret poultice" suggests that her expressions of love are meant to soothe his inner turmoil, as a poultice would treat a wound. The secretive nature of her muttering reflects the clandestine nature of the affair with the need to keep these emotions hidden from the world. Despite being expressed in a seemingly harsh manner, the simile encapsulates the comfort they provide.
Baseball Bat (simile)
In "Family Furnishings," the narrator describes smoking a cigarette in front of her parents for the first time—an act facilitated by her relative Alfrida. She says, "Though it seemed to have grown to the size of a baseball bat between my fingers." The statement emphasizes her nervousness and self-consciousness. This moment also symbolizes a step towards independence, challenging the family dynamics, and the narrator’s perception of her parents. The exaggerated size of the cigarette captures the intensity of the moment and the acute awareness of breaking social norms within her family.
