Fists Raining Like Stones (Simile and Metaphor)
The novel opens with a description of a man beating up a boy, foreshadowing the events to come between Rashad and Paul, the police officer. The authors write, “A man above him. Fists raining like stones.” In this simile, the man’s fists are compared to stones and the punching is metaphorized as rain to stress the force and pain, and the sense of being overwhelmed by an external force, that he is inflicting on the boy.
Like a Hundred Tiny Needles (Simile)
When Rashad wakes up in the hospital his nose is broken. As he takes stock of his injuries, Rashad describes trying to breathe as feeling, “like a hundred tiny needles sticking me in the chest.” Rashad uses a simile to describe the sharp pain that he feels every time he breathes, a constant reminder of the injuries and trauma he has faced at the hands of the policeman.
The Bags Under Her Eyes Were Prunes (Metaphor)
Quinn’s mom works the night shift because it pays better. As a single mother, she’s been the sole breadwinner for the family since her husband died in combat. When Quinn wakes up Saturday morning, she is coming off a night shift and is exhausted. Quinn describes the bags under his mother's eyes as prunes to emphasize how big and puffy they are, and how tired she is.
Like An Animal Trying to Crawl Up My Throat (Simile)
Quinn is feeling anxious while at the Galluzzo’s house for the barbecue. He does not know if Guzzo told Paul that Quinn saw the arrest. Trying to relax, he eats one of Paul’s burgers, but “when I tried to swallow the burger down, it felt like I had an animal trying to crawl up and out of my throat.” A burger that he would normally enjoy now is hard to eat and feels like an animal crawling its way out of his throat. Similarly, the knowledge of what he witnessed feels like a secret that will soon do the same, making its way into the light.
His Legs Were Jelly (Metaphor)
In basketball practice, the team is trying out to determine who will be a starter for the season. Their coach is testing their endurance. As Quinn describes it, the coach is looking for who can continue playing well at the end of the game when “his legs were jelly and his lungs a fire collapsing.” Quinn uses metaphors to compare how one's body feels at the end of the game: how your legs are so tired they feel weak and wobbly like jelly and when you’re short of breath your lungs feel like they’re on fire.
