Soft As Cotton Wool (Simile)
The narrator describes his grandfather as having a beard that is as soft and luxuriant as cotton wool. In this simile, the narrator emphasizes the gentle quality of his grandfather's beard by likening the hair's texture to balls of cotton.
Fell Into Masood's Lap (Metaphor)
While telling his grandson about how he acquired two-thirds of Masood's land, the grandfather says that the land "fell into Masood's lap." In this metaphor, the grandfather makes clear his lack of respect for Masood's privilege by stating that the land he inherited from his father had simply fallen into his lap, a phrase that implies Masood had put no effort into acquiring his riches.
Swarming Like Ants (Simile)
During the date harvest, the narrator looks across the expanse and notices how other young people are "swarming like ants around the trunks of the palm trees, gathering up dates and eating most of them." In this simile, Salih likens the distant image of small figures collecting dates to a swarm of ants, which suggests there is something automatic and hive-minded about the way the other young people behave.
