Indifference (Metaphor)
After several visits to Pringle’s, Robyn starts understanding that almost the entire population of the country “couldn’t give a monkey’s” to her work and her sphere of interests. They live in a world where neither semiotics, nor Women’s Studies even exist and they genuinely couldn’t care less about them. They are not interested in an industrial novel and can’t even understand whether there is any difference between metonymy and metaphor.
A strong leader (Metaphor)
Due to the fact that the main characters are the classic bearers of completely opposite worldviews, Victor and Robyn discuss a variety of different topics. When Robyn asks him what he thinks about Thatcher, he says that he respects “anybody with guts”. Thatcher’s strong will and an ability to act confidently are worth respect, even if some of her decisions are rather unpopular among the population.
Dim-witted (Metaphor)
Snobbism is a real problem for all of us. They say it is in people’s nature to behave vainly and snobbishly, when they deal with less educated, less successful, less attractive etc people. Although Robyn doesn’t want to admit it, she acts snobbishly a lot. Once Victor snaps that he is “not solid between the ears”. He is able to admit that Robyn is more intelligent than him, but he can’t put up with a fact that there are plenty of moments when she considers him to be really dim-witted.
Easiness (Simile)
Victor is rather disappointed with a fact that his children don’t value his efforts to provide them with a comfy life. They don’t think that he has to work hard in order to pay for their education, holidays, new clothes and hobbies. His children don’t understand where the money comes from. Victor states that they believe that money “comes out of the bank like water comes out of a tap”. This simile shows that Victor’s three children believe that it to earn money is as easy, as to get water from a tap.
Overconfidence (Simile)
Victor is a small man, who can’t boast of an ideal male body, height and attractiveness, but it doesn’t mean that he is shy and self-conscious. On the contrary, he is “cocky and wiry, like a short-legged terrier”. The simile shows a resemblance between Victor’s boldness and often arrogant manner and behavior of a tiny, but aggressive terrier.
Angry and irritated (Simile)
Robyn and Victor start quarrelling over a fact that Pringle’s hires immigrants for unpleasant jobs and pays them less. During the most heated part of discussion, Victor lights a cigarette and exhales smoke “through his nostrils like a dragon”. The simile shows a resemblance between Victor’s angry and irritated expression and dragon’s wrath.
