Deedee
A lot of the metaphorical imagery in the book is directed toward describing characters. Keep in mind, of course, that this volume is the initial entry in the series and conveying the sense of character is far more important at that stage than at later stages. Not that all the similes engaged necessarily are expended upon describing fundamental characteristics:
“Just before recess, Deedee smeared the cream cheese and jelly all over her face. Then she stuffed her mouth with nuts and hung the shredded cheese from her nose. When she closed her eyes, she looked just like a dead rat.”
Todd
The simile which is engaged to describe Todd is more than a bit ironic. In fact, the irony of the situation is such that even Todd seems confused by the reaction of the others which feeds the metaphorical imagery:
“Todd had three strikes against him. At twelve o’clock he left the room to go home early on the kindergarten bus. But this time when he left, he was like a star baseball player leaving the field.”
Mrs. Jewls and the Monkeys
Mrs. Jewls replaces a particularly terrifying teacher. She is new to the school and certainly not used to a class thirty stories up. In order to undermine the natural fear engendered in any class by the appearance of a brand-new teacher, she resorts to metaphor to lighten the situation:
“This is ridiculous,” said Mrs. Jewls, “just ridiculous. I walked all the way up thirty flights of stairs for nothing but a class of monkeys. What do they think I am? I’m a teacher, not a zookeeper!”
Student-Flavored Ice Cream
Mrs. Jewls is big on metaphor even when directly using them. Even her actions are often steeped deeply in metaphor. Such as her idea to create ice cream flavors named after her students. Of course, the mechanics of this idea doesn’t always turn out literally well:
“Everybody liked Maurecia, and Maurecia liked everybody. They all tasted so good. All except Kathy, that is. Kathy-flavoured ice cream tasted a little bit like old bologna.”
Poor Stephen
The metaphorical imagery which is used to describe Stephen is among the most tragic within the context of being a student in school. It is a humiliation of the utmost degree which would be capable of utterly destroying a lesser child:
“Stephen had green hair. He had purple ears and a blue face. He wore his sister’s pink dancing shoes and green leotards. The leotards matched his hair. He was all dressed up as a goblin for Mrs Jewls’s Halloween party.
But unfortunately it wasn’t Halloween.”
