An Infinity of Greed
One of the themes which the novel pursues is that of the infinite quantity and quality of greed in that which is man. According to an ancient philosopher within the mythology of the novel, two things are infinite: the universe and the greed within it. As a result, greed is often utilized metaphorically to provide insight into the characterization:
“But I knew him better now, and I saw the flicker of greed in his eyes as he tilted his head back to empty his glass of kvas.”
Character Description
One of the first utilizations of metaphorical imagery in the story is also one of the most memorable. It occurs literally on the first page as conversation which enhances characterization by having one person describe another:
“She’s an ugly little thing. No child should look like that. Pale and sour, like a glass of milk that’s turned.”
Feelings
The novel is narrated in the first person. And at 880 pages, that’s a lot of introspection. As a result, a major use of metaphor is dedicated to similes which help to describe how the narrator is feeling at any given moment of time:
“I felt like something strange and shiny, a curiosity that had washed up on a lake shore”
“I could feel how much he wanted me—but behind that desire, I could feel something else, something that felt like anger.”
Simple is Good
A nice rule of thumb to remember is that for every really vivid and well-constructed metaphor that kind of draws attention to itself, a writer should slip in some simple imagery that does the opposite. The thing is that discourse in English—and, presumably, other languages—is absolutely dependent upon speaking in metaphor. We do it all the time without realizing it. And the writing that fails to engage this commonality is the writing that sounds unnatural and stilted to us when we read it. The following example offers nothing particularly innovative or memorable, but its use alone makes the scene more realistic in its descriptive aptitude:
“Then a cry rent the air beside me.”
Situating the Setting
Metaphor is, of course, elemental in creating a vivid sense of setting. Of course, it is possible to overdo it. The more effective construction is simple description combined with more florid metaphor and simile density to create the highlights and shadows rather than relying on imagery to pain the whole picture:
“It was a strange name, because though it was smaller than the Grand Palace, the `Little’ Palace was still huge. It rose from the trees surrounding it like something carved from an enchanted forest, a cluster of dark wood walls and golden domes.”
