"All Willem saw was what looked like a choking of blood, as if Jude's arm had grown a mouth and was vomiting blood from it" (pg. 79) (Simile)
This simile is used to describe Willem's perspective on Jude's self-inflicted injury after he takes Jude to Andy's office for treatment. The simile is very graphic and grotesque, which fulfills several narrative functions. The simile makes it clear to a reader how severe Jude's injuries are, which helps to communicate the depth of Jude's pain and self-loathing. He engages in some of the most extreme and destructive forms of self-harming behavior. The simile also reveals the gap between how Jude perceives his body and how other people do. Jude finds satisfaction and a sense of peace when he cuts himself, but someone like Willem simply sees the horrors of the destruction he is wreaking on his body.
“Acting was like war, and they were veterans: they didn’t want to think about the war, and they certainly didn’t want to talk about it with naïfs who were still eagerly dashing toward the trenches, who were still excited to be in-country.” (pg. 47) (Metaphor)
This extended metaphor is used to describe Willem's experience working as a server at an upscale restaurant where most of the staff is either pursuing acting careers or once held that dream. In the metaphor, the individuals who have given up on their hopes of an acting career are the veterans, the individuals who are older, wiser, and understand realities. In contrast, those who are still hoping to become successful are likened to young recruits who have not yet seen the horrors of war. The metaphor reveals that attempting to make a living by working in a creative profession like acting is dangerous, potentially traumatic, and often disappointing. Given that Willem does end up becoming an extremely successful actor, this quote serves to show that he is successful because of his talent and hard work. Many others never get the same opportunity, or else they end up becoming embittered as a result of their failed pursuit.
"He felt he had awakened Harold's curiosity, which he imagined as a perked, bright-eyed dog--a terrier, something relentless and keen" (pg. 138) (Simile)
This simile is used to convey Jude's discomfort when he is first getting to know Harold and Harold begins to ask lots of questions about Jude's past and his family. Jude is torn because he genuinely wants to become closer to Harold, but he is also deeply uncomfortable with these questions. The simile shows that Harold is persistent and stubborn, like a dog bred for hunting; he is not simply going to give up or politely take the hint that Jude doesn't want to talk about his past. Indeed, Harold's desire to understand Jude better remains a constant theme in their relationship right up until the point of Jude's death. The simile, however, also reveals hints that Jude intuitively trusts and likes Harold. The curiosity could be compared to a much more predatory and dangerous animal, but the comparison focuses on a friendly and tame dog. This reveals that Jude does not ultimately feel frightened or threatened by the curiosity Harold shows, even though it does make him uncomfortable.
“it was always there, running through their friendship, their lives, like a vein of turquoise forking through stone.” (pg. 702) (Simile)
This simile is used to describe the slight tension around sex that never quite vanishes from Jude and Willem's relationship. Eventually, Jude and Willem cease having sex, and they are both generally happy with their comfortable and loving relationship. However, the simile of a vein of turquoise running through a rock reveals that something otherwise solid and stable is always slightly marred by a feature that is small but significant. Jude can never stop wondering if Willem would be happier with a different partner, and Willem can never stop wishing that Jude would have been able to explore his sexuality in a positive way. However, the simile also reveals that this tension is not destructive to their relationship. A vein of turquoise is a naturally occurring feature, and it does not damage the rock. Because Jude and Willem have so much love and history together, the tension around sex does not damage their relationship, nor does it impair their ability to be happy together.
"Sometimes I felt that there was something physically connecting us, a long rope that stretched between Boston and Portland" (pg. 395) (Metaphor)
Harold uses this metaphor to describe the bond he continues to feel with his first wife, Liesl, even though the two of them live on opposite sides of the country and seldom speak to each other. The metaphor of a rope reveals that the bond forged between them as they raised a child and then suffered through that child's death will never entirely go away. No matter where life takes them, and even as they each build new families for themselves, they will have this shared trauma. This metaphor shows that people can never fully leave their painful pasts behind; Harold is drawn back to memories of his deceased son and his first marriage just as Jude is haunted by memories of his childhood. However, the metaphor of the rope also shows that Harold's pain is something that leads him to feel more connected to others. Jude, in contrast, feels more isolated because of his traumatic past.
