Is There Another Kind of Clark Kent?
Catalina and Aaron are still in the very early stages of their relationship—a little past being outright enemies, but not even close to being lovers—and so that means conversation is unsteady. Similes used to describe each other are on shaky ground as well. Catalina seems fairly certain of her position, but her attitude toward Aaron is clearly jumbled when she complains, “I have no idea why you have this impulse to fly in with your red cape like a nerdy Clark Kent and save the day, but no, thanks. You might look a little like him, but I’m not a damsel in distress.” The assertion that she is not the metaphorical stereotype of a woman needs to be saved by a man is crystal clear, but the simile she decides upon to characterize Aaron illuminates her ambivalent emotions. Clark Kent, after all, is already nerdy; that is his entire deal, in fact. Even Aaron seems a little confused by the exact point she was trying to make with the confusing comparison inhabiting this simile when he asks whether “nerdy Clark Kent” is supposed to be a compliment or not.
Aaron on Catalina
It is not because Aaron secretly has the soul of a poet that Catalina winds up falling for him. In his defense, he never claims to be. Therefore, when the most creative he can get with metaphor is the hesitant and stuttering and repetitive and less than Byronic “You are light. And passion. You … can light up entire rooms, Catalina” it is not fair to judge him by any standard but his own. The metaphor of identifying another person as possessing the power to illuminate is certainly not the most original imagery, but at least he is trying.
Catalina on Herself
Catalina is one of those first-person narrators who can at times come across as overly interested in her own emotional state. Probably the most abundant use of metaphorical imagery throughout the book is applied to creating imagery that conveys whatever emotions she is experiencing most intensely at that moment. "My heart banged against my chest with growing urgency, as if it were a wild thing, asking to be let out. Begging to ask all the questions taking shape in my head and threatening to do it itself if I didn’t." This is just one example out of many others. This example is quite typical of her reportage of the emotional tenor of the moment. Similar to the first example above, she displays a tendency toward using metaphor to personify her inner state within a more literal context of an associated biological state.
Cartoons and Kisses
Catalina composes a complex metaphorical image to convey her emotional state at a particularly sensitive moment in the evolution of their relationship. “I feel like I was run over by a stampede of very angry and very heavy antelopes that were in a rush to get somewhere.” It is not an original composition by Catalina, of course, and Aaron immediately recognizes its source. And that is how a metaphor summarizing the heartbreaking death of Mufasa from Lion King bonds the two over a shared love of Disney animated movies. It sends the couple hurtling in the direction of their first kiss.
The New Kid in Town
Metaphorical imagery has been derived from ancient mythology, historical events and figures, works of fine art, music compositions, anatomy, astronomy, fashion, leisurely entertainment, and more recently, pop culture. The newest addition to the long list of metaphorical inspirations is illustrated in an unspoken quote from the narrator’s sister. “Isabel: It’s weird that I don’t know what your boyfriend looks like. Is he ugly? That’s okay. I bet he makes up for it in other ways. *eggplant emoji*” The visual representations of emojis actually constitute a brand-new form of communication constructed entirely around the premise of metaphorical shorthand. The usage of them in cases like also affords the opportunity use vulgar language without the use of offensive words.
