She used to read and respond to every comment on her stories, comments were like gold stars, like May Day bouquets
In this quote from Chapter Five, Cath likens the feeling of getting positive comments and approbation from readers to the feeling she had as a child on elementary school when a teacher would give her essay a gold star, or the feeling of winning a bouquet of flowers for am entry into a Mayday carnival; exciting, and eliciting happiness.
Cath stood next to a lamp-post so he'd see her, and tried to look like the huntsman, not the little girl with the basket
In this quote from Chapter Five, Cath likens herself to two characters in the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, which is also used as an allegorical reference to describe her venturing out into the world of college dating as if she is fearful of meeting a wolf in charming young man clothing. She wants to look strong and confident like the huntsman, but is worried she still looks like she could be totally taken advantage of, like Little Red Riding-Hood.
Simon reached out for Baz and his name felt like a magic word on his lips
In Chapter Seven Cath is working feverishly on her fan fiction about Simon Snow, and likens speaking the name of your loved one to speaking magic; she describes the act of saying a name that makes you feel powerful and able to make your dreams come true, and although she is able to describe this so beautifully Cath does not manage to recognize when this feeling is not there in a relationship.
It made Cath feel like part of a two-headed monster.
In Chapter Eight Cath likens being a twin out in a bar with the identical sister to being part of a freak-show, or as a monstrosity that people stare at and feel able to make lewd or personal comments about. This is a new feeling for Cath who previously has only felt security and safety in being an identical twin.
The words come out of me like Spider-Man's webbing.
In chapter ten, Nick likens the way in which he is able to write easily and freely to the way in which Spider-Man opens up the palm of his hand and shoots a web into the air. He doesn't have to think about the words, or persuade his brain to be imaginative, he is able to look at a blank page and fill it with words as easily as if it were a super power. This is in contrast to Cath who is struggling with a writers' block when it comes to her final essay.
