Writer's Block
Agnes Lee is an author who has never had trouble cranking out stories. But suddenly the dread writer's block has set in. All she needs is "An image; a character’s voice; a sentence that contained a seed from which the next sentence could grow. Something that would open this cage." The cage metaphor is a direct reference to the titular setting. Writing at Fellowship Point had always been synonymous with freedom. But writer's block has suddenly imprisoned her imagination.
Tree Kings
Much later in the book, but many years earlier chronologically, Agnes peers through a window. She observes that "The leaves have mostly fallen, so the pines are having their glorious reign." This metaphor refers to the fact that pine trees do not have leaves, but needles which usually change color rather than falling off during autumn. Thus, the pine trees look more regal than the other bare species.
Patriarchal Females
A conversation among women about marriage sparks an observation on the metaphorical role of the wife. “Our job is to wreathe them in the fresh greenery of domestic happiness and the spicy scent of good counsel!" Although intended as an assertion of empowerment, the sentiment gives off the less redolent bouquet of patriarchal views on gender roles within a marriage. This seems to be immediately confirmed when the new bride-to-be asks what she will get out of and is told that her husband's happiness will be the source of her own.
The Afterlife
Agnes' self-described puny brain has reached the point where it finally is able to conceive a vision of the afterlife. "I imagine it as a swirling river of energy. Atoms split in the big bang wandering the universe seeking forever their other half to repair the split." The unknowability and inherent ambiguity of afterlife—if it even exists—almost must be framed in metaphor. The simile is a simple idea, too formless and imprecise. The more cosmic metaphorical addition gives her conception of an afterlife more philosophical texture and viability, creating an afterlife that is a romantic fantasy.
Mousy Maud
Maud is talkative, entering the room chattering cheerily. In just one short paragraph she goes from observing that it is Thanksgiving to confessing that Pepperidge Farm is her favorite brand of stuffing to how the British add the sound of the "h" in the word herbs. "She was like a mouse running a maze for the first time, with no idea where she was going...She was on her own, and there was no piece of cheese waiting for her at the finish line." The comparison of the mouse in the maze is entirely appropriate for the scene because Maud's demeanor is a bit hesitant, like a scare mouse. And the flow of words with no goal in sight also makes the final aspect of the metaphorical imagery come together.
