Running (Metaphor)
"I'll run one day. Run for my life. To be free and think for myself...I'll run to be emancipated” (Marchetta 61).
Josie's urge to run away from her problems is a metaphor for the adolescent journey away from home and into adulthood. The expectations of her school and traditional family feels like an iron cage to Josie. She longs to run away to a place where she feels free and is able to build her own life. Marchetta constructs running as a metaphor for the struggle to be free that many adolescents have before they move onto college and careers.
Going to Heaven (Simile)
“Oh, Jozzie, to get a letter from my family was like going to heaven” (Marchetta 167).
Nonna Katia’s connection to her Italian heritage is one of her defining characteristics, and a point of contention for Josie. The two frequently butt heads because Katia’s uniquely Italian cultural mores. Here, Katia describes to her granddaughter what it felt like to receive a letter from her family in Italy when she first moved to Australia. She compares it to going to heaven: that’s how emotional and happy hearing from her family made her feel. This simile demonstrates that although oceans separated them, Katia and her family still had an unshakable bond.
Culture (Metaphor)
"...culture is nailed into you so deep you can't escape it" (Marchetta 250).
Culture is compared to a force that physically nails people down, which is reflected in Josie and her family's experiences. Josie explains to her father that when she tried to distance herself from her Italian heritage as a child, her classmates refused to accept her as Australian and called her offensive names. Marchetta explains the power of culture as something that can't be escaped, to the point where it pierces people.
Josephine as a Sheep (Metaphor)
"You decided to become a sheep for the day, Josephine" (Marchetta 258).
Some of Josie’s key traits are her independence and sense of leadership. As the daughter and granddaughter of fiercely opinionated and independent Italian women, she is constantly making her voice heard and forging her own path. These are some of the reasons why her classmates elect her as a school captain. As a school leader, Josie must set an example for the other girls, but she decided to be a follower for a day and goes along with Sera’s fool-brained plan to skip the walkathon. Sister Louise is furious not only because Josie set a poor example, but also because she believes Josie is selling herself short by becoming a sheep, or follower. This metaphor infuriates Josie, but also causes her to reflect on her actions and think about the type of person she wants to be.
Piece of Paper (Simile)
“One lone piece flew back onto the windowpane. I took it and I wondered if, like that piece of paper, John Barton was still alone” (Marchetta 338).
After hearing of John’s suicide, Josie finally reads the note they exchanged earlier in the school year. The note contains a poem John wrote reflecting on his loneliness and depression. Josie tears up the poem in many little pieces and sets them free, but a lone piece comes floating back to her. She compares this single piece to John, and wonders if he is still alone like the piece of paper.
