Tight Corset
The metaphor of a "tight corset" describes Clara's life before Ben. This represents her feeling of being constrained and restricted by societal expectations. She feels trapped in an overly rigid lifestyle that she cannot escape. By contrast, Ben has an exuberant attitude towards life and his presence helps to free Clara from this tight corset of expectations and restrictions. He encourages her to take risks and enjoy life with spontaneous activities such as surprise picnics or unconventional ideas like covering their living room with sand for her birthday. The metaphor indicates that with Ben's help, Clara can break away from the strict confines of society to discover true freedom and joy in life.
Storybook Marriage
There is an implied metaphor of Clara's relationship with Ben being a “storybook marriage.” It illustrates how Clara has idealized her relationship with Ben as something out of a fairy tale. She wanted him to be successful and reliable so that they could have a happy life together like in a storybook. The notion of them having a storybook marriage also indicates that she was overly romanticizing their situation. Therefore, not realizing the real struggles and hardships that come along with long-term relationships. The use of this metaphor adds depth to Clara’s character as someone who wants everything in her life. The imagery of walking on air after he proposed and the classic words used for his proposal show how Clara had envisioned this storybook marriage. Unfortunately, their happiness was short-lived due to the accident which happened soon afterward.
Paintings
Clara's feeling of happiness when she takes in her paintings is metaphorically compared to peace. This is presented by the narrator in the lines "At such moments, everything else around her is unimportant and far away. She is at peace with herself and the world." This excerpt demonstrates that looking at her art creates a sense of calmness and serenity within Clara. It also reveals that by creating art Clara has found inner harmony bringing her contentment and joy. The notion of finding solace in one's work can be applied to many creative endeavors. It could represent how artistic expression can provide comfort during times of stress and difficulty.
Nirvana
Clara was "going on the assumption that the number hasn’t been reassigned yet and the texts are all ending up in nirvana." This metaphor compares sending text messages to a disconnected number to sending them into nothingness. It is as if they have gone off into an unknowable place where they will never be seen again. Clara writes the texts with no hope of getting any kind of response back or finding out what happened. Henceforth, the narrative emphasizes how difficult it has become for Sven to contact Clara due to the oddness of this situation.
Fiery Envy
Sven reflects on his attitude towards other people's successes as it has changed over time. The narrator says, "Envy wasn't a big thing with him. If something really great happened to somebody else, he was of course a bit envious, but he never felt any resentment." It illustrates Sven’s feelings about envy. Before, he would feel a bit envious—like taking the “bold first step” towards playing with fire—but then “immediately shrink back again” from crossing that line into feeling resentful. This simile indicates that there are dangerous consequences for giving in to these feelings too much.
