Qendrim Dove Headfirst (Simile)
"Qendrim dove headfirst, arms at his sides, like a spear, and executed a perfect header— another score." (117)
Taken literally, this simile describes how Qendrim shows great form when he keeps his body straight and tightly clenched while heading a ball; his energy is totally directed at moving the ball toward the goal. However, the comparison of Qendrim's body to a spear also emphasizes the way that sports can feel like a physical battle. This is especially true for the young refugee players, many of whom experienced war in the countries their families were forced to leave and now feel as if they are fighting to fit into American culture.
Qendrim was Bounced (Simile)
"Qendrim was bounced like a pinball between the bigger Blue Springs midfielders." (163)
Again, St. John uses a simile to describe Qendrim's movement on the soccer field. While in the last quote Qendrim had total control, this simile of Qendrim being bounced like a pinball shows how vulnerable and out of control Qendrim felt during this particular moment of play. As a small player, Qendrim had to be especially aware of his physical safety while trying to focus on gameplay.
Carrying Alyah (Simile)
"In the evenings, when the boys came home, they would pick up Alyah and carry her around like a rag doll." (174)
Alex, Bien, and Ive, Generose's sons, were all left with the responsibility of caring for their younger sister while their mother performed household chores or worked at the nearby chicken processing plant. Luckily for them, Alyah was a very calm baby, and tolerated her brothers not always handling her in a gentle way. This simile, comparing Alyah to a rag doll, shows how comfortable the brothers were caring for their sibling, perhaps a value instilled in them in their home country, and the way that they were able to integrate play into all facets of their lives.
Luma's Father's Reaction (Simile)
"He took her decision to stay in the United States as a slap in the face." (18)
After university, Luma decided that she fit better into American culture than the culture in her home country of Jordan, largely due to the treatment of women and expectations about jobs, marriage, and motherhood. However, her father and family were incredibly hurt by her decision to stay in the United States. While the saying "slap in the face" is a cliche, it accurately reflects the physical pain experienced by Luma's father in response to her announcement. The phrasing that he "took her decision... as a slap in the face" (18) using the passive voice also shows that while Luma did not want to inflict pain or violence on her father, he still experienced it that way.
Smoke (Simile)
"The smoke came first as a faraway scent, and then as a thundercloud rolling from the kitchen into the living room: the hot dogs." (176)
Alex, son of Generose and older brother of Bien, Ive, and Alyah, must take on many household chores when his mother gets a new job at the chicken processing plant. Having to juggle keeping an eye on his baby sister and rambunctious younger brothers while cooking dinner often lead to him feeling overwhelmed. In this specific instance, focusing for too long on his sister resulted in burning the dinner for himself and his brothers. The simile of the smoke from the burning hot dogs rolling into the room like a thundercloud gives the scene an eerie, frightening mood. Just as a dark thundercloud often precedes rain and lightening, when Alex sees the cloud of smoke he must jump into action to prevent imminent damage to his house and his brothers.
