The game
The game that Josh plays with Marcia and Steenie is a metaphor for the local culture. Josh struggles with the game and does not understand it; however, he plays the game anyway. The game involves touching a dead horse before running away, but Josh doesn’t play the game right and ends up falling into the horse and feeling nauseous. The local culture, in a similar sense to this game, is also unfamiliar to Josh.
Red sky at morning
The phrase “red sky at morning, sailor’s warning” is a phrase used to warn about an impending storm. This phrase is used in this text as a metaphor for World War II, which had a disruptive impact comparable to a storm.
Stomach metaphor
Marcia says: “Language like that makes my stomach turn over.” This is a metaphor, as her stomach is not literally turning over. This metaphor is used to show how disgusted she is about the language being used, suggesting it is making her feel physically sick.
Ornament simile
Josh says: "I will give you little ornaments to put in your hair, black as the crow's wing.” Here, he uses a simile to describe how black the ornaments will be. This is from a humorously romantic scene in the text, so this dramatic description is used for a comedic purpose.
