Harry Rex as a Cloud (Simile)
Grisham describes Harry Rex as moving "in silent and dark circles like a cloud over the county" (137). Harry Rex represents necessary evils. He constantly breaches ethical codes and is famous for wiretapping a jury's deliberation, but he helps Jake and uses his penchant for gossip and eavesdropping to help "the good guys," i.e. Carl Lee and his counsel. However, in embodying a necessary evil, Harry Rex looms over Clanton, reminding everyone that if men like him are necessary, then the system must be broken.
Ethel as a Pit Bull (Metaphor)
When Ellen first shows up at Jake's law office, Ethel does not take a liking to her. Ellen defies the "acceptable" fashion and attitude of the typical Southern lady. When Jake asks Ellen how her M'Naghten brief is coming, she tells him it's going quite slowly. She says, "I planned to work on it all day here; that is, if that pit bull downstairs doesn’t attack me" (294). She compares Ethel to a pit bull because pit bulls are stereotypically aggressive and used as attack dogs. This comment aligns with Jake's tendency to disrespect Ethel.
King Noose (Metaphor)
Grisham describes Judge Noose as sitting "on his throne, or bench, as it was called" (361). In this not-so-subtle metaphor, Grisham implies that judges hold kingly amounts of power with very few checks on their authority.
Buckley as a Grandfather (Simile)
Grisham describes Buckley as "a smooth, gifted orator who one moment could chat softly with a jury, much like a grandfather giving advice to his grandchildren" (364-365). This simile underscores Buckley's skillful duplicity; in reality, he doesn't care for the jury beyond what they can give to him, which is a guilty verdict that will further his career aspirations. But he's able to speak to them in a convincingly genuine way.
Jake as a Lost Child (Simile)
Towards the end of the trial, after Jake's house burns down, Grisham describes Jake's first time back to the diner in a while. He writes that "Dell hugged him like a lost child" (474), emphasizing the alienation and lonliness that the trial has brought on for Jake.
