"See how those waters bounce and tumble like rolling melons!" (Page 12) (Simile)
One of the first in the novel, this simile provides a good description of the stream that the monkeys go to bathe in, which leads to the waterfall that Monkey will soon jump through, thereby making himself king.
"I shall say good-bye to you, go down the mountain, wander like a cloud to the corners of the sea, far away to the end of the world, till I have found these three kinds of Immortal" (Page 15) (Simile)
After having become aware and concerned about his mortality, Monkey declares that he will go in search of the Immortals to learn the secret of immortality, beginning his downfall. In addition, the reference to traveling like a cloud is an unwitting foreshadowing on Monkey's part, as cloud-trapeze is actually one of the skills he will soon learn from the Immortal called Patriarch.
"His two arms, each holding aloft a magic trident, were like the peaks that crown Mount Hua, his face was blue and his teeth stuck far out, the hair on his head was scarlet and his expression malignant beyond words" (Page 67) (Simile)
In trying to catch Monkey, Erh-lang transforms into the most powerful version of himself. He is ultimately unsuccessful, but this simile illustrates just how powerful Erh-lang is, as well as how powerful Monkey has become since his days as the lowly king of his monkeys.
"A frightening scrunching ensued, for all the world like a tiger devouring its prey. By the time the meal was over, Tripitaka was almost dead with horror and fright" (Page 120) (Simile)
This passage demonstrates how cowardly and unlike Monkey Tripitaka can be. It betrays his human weakness and fear, as opposed to Monkey's bravery in the face of every obstacle.
"His hair was flaming red, his eyes were like two lanterns; at his neck were strung nine skulls, and he carried a huge priest's staff" (Page 159) (Simile)
This simile introduces the reader to Sandy for the first time, providing a vivid description of him.
