Grubs
Shelley compares himself and his father to grubs. The family places them in the same category as grubs, so they are not treasured. He affirms, "Grubs like us didn't get many chances." Grubs are usually found in soil and decomposing material. The demeaning metaphor surmises that he will be doomed to a lowly position and poverty if he stays in China. The chances of moving from the mud are minimal because opportunities are not given to those occupying low ranks.
“Weaver of Dreams, the Kite”
Shelley uses consecutive metaphors to portray his father as a sympathetic and reasonable man. His father supports his uncle, who married a white woman, even though the family criticized the marriage. Shelley asserts, "My tender-hearted father! Storyteller, weaver of dreams, the kite that Mother had flown." Shelley's father believes that family should not be an obstacle to finding love, even if it is from a person of different racial background. As a dream weaver, he envisions a life of love and belonging in Shangri-la. Due to his tenderness, he treats the outcasts in the community as his family members.
Hunter
When Shelley goes to Costco for the first time, he is mesmerized by the bigness of the store and the things in it. His sense of smell becomes alert to relish the experience. He recounts, "I scouted the rows and sniffed the air like a hunter, tasting inside my nostrils the perfumes and garden scents of cleansers and refreshers and the elegant scalloped box of smoothing called vaginal tablets." The diverse smells are unique; for him to relish them simultaneously, her nose should function like a dog's. Being at Costco affirms that he is in America, and his environment/air will vastly differ from the one in China.
