Hard Fist (Metaphor)
"By the time the refugees took shelter in the old house, the wheat was dead, killed by the hard fist of a deep frost." (The Wheat)
This metaphor illustrates the sudden and painful nature of the winter arrival. The refugees were not prepared for it, and neither was the wheat; hence both of their near-extinctions. The third-person omniscient narrator makes this observation. This is a metaphor namely because frost does not have a fist; it is simply being compared to one to make the point more clearly and emphatically.
Icy Fingers (Metaphor)
"I hear it in the wind's icy fingers scratching against the window." (1)
This is said from the point of view of Ringer. The wind does not have icy fingers, but Ringer uses this metaphor in order to heighten the sense of foreboding that she feels. This allows the reader to join in her point of view and share her feelings about this desolate new world they are trying to survive in.
Pilot Fish (Simile)
"Then why have you been latched on to me like a pilot fish since we left camp?" (25)
Ringer says this simile to Teacup in order to illustrate just how attached and obsessed Teacup has become with her. Ringer is now her hero, her surrogate mother, and her protector all rolled into one. This simile also demonstrates how Ringer feels about this attachment - namely, it is unwelcome and unnecessary in her mind.
Onyx (Simile)
"She looks so beautiful, not even real, nestled in a bower of snow, her dark hair shimmering like onyx, her expression in sleep the indescribable serenity of an ancient statue." (27)
Ringer says this about Teacup. This simile demonstrates how Teacup looks when Ringer is trying to decide whether to kill her or save her. Her description reveals her affection for Teacup and shows the importance of her decision.
Aluminum Foil (Simile)
"Her voice was as flat and thin as a piece of aluminum foil fresh from the roller." (41)
Cassie describes Ringer's voice in this simile. The two of them are fighting and describing each other's life stories, looking for ways to hurt the other. This simile encompasses how Cassie views Ringer - as a soulless, cold killer who poses a threat to the squad and to her personally.
