The storm (Metaphor)
It is not an easy task to put up with a thought that a person you love doesn’t love you back, that no matter how much you try to change the situation it is not going to work. The protagonist of the story has a life crisis; it is time for her to move. Unfortunately, it proves to be more difficult than she expects. Finally, she agrees to wait for “the storm pass”. She is ready to wait until her husband’s need for novelty is satisfied. However, Mario refuses. According to him, the feelings that his ex-wife calls just passion, “the storm,” are love.
Heartless (Metaphor)
Olga couldn’t recognize herself. The new Olga wasn’t either caring or loving, she was consumed by anger. It prevented her from living a normal life. Olga felt that her and children started “growing distant, as if balanced on a log floating away upon the flow of the current.” She “looked at herself” and saw “a woman” she couldn’t recognize. She “had taken” Olga’s “heart.” She could feel only pain and anger since Mario had left her.
Contamination (Metaphor)
Olga hated both Mario and Carla. According to Olga, Carla “had baptized him.” The fact that they slept together, knew each other on a physical level, shared that level of intimacy between them made her blood boil with rage. Carla hadn’t any right to do that. Her and Marco’s passion was of a wrong kind.
Kind-hearted (Simile)
Mario and Olga’s family looked like a dream that came true. The caring father, the loving mother, two wonderful children and a dog seemed to be so happy together. They liked to spend time in each other’s company. Long strolls in the park, picnics and weekends spent away from the city were their favorite activities. Of course, they always took Otto with them who was “as good as gold.”
Composed (Simile)
Mario’s sudden decision to change his life left her confused. The life she knew so well ended so abruptly that she simply wasn’t prepared for that. The woman didn’t have either job – Mario had convinced her to quit several years ago – or plan for the future. She wished she knew what to do. For the first time since her adolescence she wanted to swear. She knew that “obscenity could raise sparks of madness” if it came from “a mouth as controlled as mine.”
Too good (Simile)
In spite of the fact that she didn’t know her neighbor well enough, Olga didn’t like him. Paradoxically enough, the reason of that was the fact that he was too nice. Carrano was nice “to the point of becoming sticky, like honey.” Not to mention that she sensed his interest in her. His unhidden desire unnerved her. It should be mentioned that Carrano was embarrassed by himself too. They tried to avoid each other.
