Breathing like a man who has walked rapidly for a great distance
The narrator likens the groom's breathing to a man who has walked rapidly for a great distance. The narrator says, "He peers into her face breathing like a man who has walked rapidly for a great distance." The simile shows the ambiguity between the groom and the bride because they are meeting for the first time and are supposed to get married. The groom is forty years old, and the bride is only twelve. Consequently, there must be clarity here because the groom is older than the bride's mother.
A sleeping mat
The groom is angry after discovering the bride is underage and unsuitable for marriage. The narrator says, "When she opens her eyes, she sees her great-uncle put out a hand to stop the departing groom, only to have it flicked away like an ant off a sleeping mat." The simile shows the groom's disappointment because he expected a mature woman to marry, but he realizes the bride is 12 years old. However, Uncle Molay is determined to marry off his niece.
Shimmering like a beaten silver
The narrator compares water shimmering in the paddy fields to beaten silver. The narrator says, "Through the window, the water in the paddy field shimmers like beaten silver." The simile signifies the arrival of new information. When Mariamma wakes up ahead of her mother, she looks outside the window and feels like something new is about to happen. True to Marimma's suspicion, her uncle informs her that she will get married soon.
