Sea and salt in voices (Metaphor)
The voices, which Nell hears in the ship, are “rough, loud, full of the sea and its salt.” Showing true “sea wolves”, the author helps the reader imagine the atmosphere which was in the ship and Nell’s perception of it.
Moby Dick (Simile)
The boat, on which Nell went to Australia, “was gliding through the water like a giant whale, like Moby Dick in the story her father often read to her.” Using this comparison, the author shows how deeply Nell perceived the world, how vivid it was in her mind.
Anchor (Metaphor)
Cassandra said that Nell’s suitcase “wasn't a mere historical artifact: it was an anchor.” Thus she wanted to say that it was actually the one thing which linked her grandmother to her past, which didn’t let her cast adrift in obscurity.
Empty room (Simile)
When Sammy, Eliza’s brother had died, she “was half a person. Like a room robbed of candlelight, her soul was cold, dark and empty.” This comparison very vividly expresses the girl’s condition and meanwhile it shows how deep was her love to her brother.
