The war was a freight train (Metaphor)
When World War II ends, Shetterly writes “The war had been a freight train, traveling headlong at top speed. What now of the passengers inside, still moving forward with tremendous inertia?” In this metaphor, Shetterly shows the speed and unstoppable nature of the war, communicating the difficulty of an abrupt shift for the passengers (Americans, especially those at Langley).
Math like a tennis serve (Simile)
Explaining the difficulty of calculating the Mercury capsule's trajectory, Shetterly writes “The math had to be as precise and accurate as an Althea Gibson serve.” This simile compares the precision between mathematics and a tennis serve, and it alludes to one of the first black athletes to become a professional player; in 1956, Althea Gibson was the first black person to win a Grand Slam title. Comparing math to tennis communicates the practice, rigor, and accuracy required by both disciplines.
Planes like Darwin's finches (Simile)
As aeronautics advanced, planes changed to perform more specialized roles: “Like Darwin’s finches, the mechanical birds had begun to differentiate themselves, branching into distinct species adapted for success in particular environments.” Shetterly alludes to Charles Darwin's observation of various finches, whose different beaks and diets he used to support his theories of evolution. This simile connects the mechanical advancement of planes with the environment-driven biological development of animals, emphasizing the importance of environment/purpose on change.
Ambition is reigniting embers (Metaphor)
Before joining the West Computers, Vaughan awaits her acceptance from Langley, which will actually use her mathematics background. Shetterly writes that Vaughan “might have detected the quickening of something beyond the pragmatic hope for economic advancement, the reigniting of restless embers long quiet.” This metaphor uses embers to illustrate the simmering energy source that has lasted through Vaughan's 12 years of domestic life.
Engineers like hunting owls (Simile)
Both computers and engineers at Langley are passionate workers. Shetterly describes “engineers pressing the machines for answers to their research questions like night owls on the hunt for mice.” In this simile, Shetterly compares engineers to owls (night owls specifically) hunting for prey, conceptually connecting those research answers to food that the engineers need to stay alive.
