Cook like a dream simile
Ruth describes how her husband could "cook like a dream." She uses this simile to express how good he was at cooking, and how the meals he made were delicious.
Ruth's struggle
Ruth's struggle is used as a metaphor for the general struggle of women at the time. She faced sex-based discrimination in her professional and personal life, which she overcame through hard work and perseverance.
Sphinxlike
Ginsburg's silence is described as being "sphinxlike." This emphasizes the fact that she was mysterious and difficult to understand properly.
Break the ice
The metaphor "break the ice" is used to describe an encounter between Ginsburg and Rosen. The term "ice" is used to metaphorically describe the unfamiliarity between the two people.
