The Capitol Family (Metaphor)
After Arachne's death, Coryo reflects on the connection that the two of them shared, even though they were never fantastically close as friends: "As part of the wealthy old guard of the Capitol, she was family. And you didn't have to like your family. The bond was a given" (Ballad, 102). Coryo takes a public role in Arachne's funeral that seems somewhat outsized, since his private relationship with her was never especially affectionate. However, the "family" metaphor helps to define the residents of the Capitol as a united, close-knit group - bonded by values and antagonistic to the District, regardless of other differences.
Like a toddler (Simile)
Snow is described as being "unstable" after describing his feelings about the rebellion: "He felt a little unsteady, like a toddler learning to walk, but he felt the independence of getting on his feet as well." The "toddler" simile, with its connotations of basic conditions and fundamental inexperience, connects to a few different realities that Coryo faces. Once the seat of sophistication, the Capitol itself has been reduced to a new, unsteady youth - forced to rebuild from the rudiments. Coriolanus himself is also in a rather early stage of development, at least for readers of the full Hunger Games series. His power and villainy are still in unsettled "toddler" stages, but they are ready to start maturing nonetheless.
Like flowers in wintertime (Simile)
Maude describes how strange it is to have ice in the summer rather than the winter, using a simile to emphasize her point: "Seems fancy to have ice in summertime. Like flowers in wintertime. Rare." The simile incorporates pleasant floral imagery, but even an innocent flower comparison veils some harsh realities of life. In The Ballad, the Districts exist in a state of deprivation and oppression, and the gift of ice that Coriolanus and Sejanus bring the Covey is simultaneously a nice gesture and, on a deeper level, a quick reminder of a troubling status.
Gray like a winter day (Simile)
Maude describes the origins of Lucy's name, saying that "Lucy Gray is special because her whole name came right from her ballad." Lucy then follows this with simile, saying, "Gray like a winter day." With this simile, Lucy brings in an allusion to her relationship with Snow, a young man whose name has obvious wintry associations. However, taken together, the references to Lucy's namesake ballad and Lucy's wintertime name hint at how conflicted her relationship with Snow is. After all, Coriolanus dislikes the Lucy Gray ballad itself and likes the wintry allusions ("pure as the driven snow") that Lucy brings into her singing.
Bridging the Chasm (Metaphor)
When Lucy appears at Commander Hoff's birthday, she stages a performance that is meant to emphasize and reinforce her bond with Coryo: "A way to communicate, to bridge the chasm that circumstance had dug between them. An overwhelming flush of love ran through him at her reminder that he was not alone in this tragedy" (Ballad, 478). The idea of a chasm plays a few roles in the relationship between Snow and Lucy. With few opportunities to meet both during the Games and during Snow's stint in District 12, the two must find ways to communicate and to intensify a romantic connection. Music provides one surprising linkage, yet the chasm metaphor is also a reminder of how much - political loyalties, background, aspirations - divides Lucy and Snow.
