Metaphor: Dancing
Twyla mentions that some older girls liked to dance when they thought no one was watching. Twyla and Roberta developed the habit of looking at the girls while they were dancing, but unfortunately, when the two were caught by the older girls, they were harassed. Dancing is used here as a metaphor for freedom: in the time when the story takes place, there were very few ways a woman could be free. Because of this, dancing is seen by authority figures in a negative light, and those who indulged in the practice were punished for it.
Simile: The Restaurant
Years after leaving the orphanage where Twyla met Roberta, Twyla began working at a small diner as a waitress. Twyla compares the restaurant to a shelter, especially during the night, a place where Twyla feels safe and protected. The association is strange, but this shows just how little stability Twyla has in her life that the most unlikely of places becomes a safe place for her.
Simile: James
After meeting with Roberta again in the diner, the narrative jumps a few years forward to when Twyla is happily married and living with her husband. In that scene, Twyla describes her husband and compares him with a comfortable house slipper. The comparison is important because it shows that Twyla was now comfortable with her life, not something that is easily attained for someone from her background.
Simile: Mary
Twyla describes her mother as "pretty as a picture," which is an important simile because it doesn't just suggest that Mary is pretty—we know she is, and that Twyla is proud of that fact—but rather that Mary isn't real to Twyla. She is removed, unattainable, and locked in Twyla's memories if anywhere at all.
