Simile of Coats
“This is what I want: I want to grab my brother’s hand and run back through time, losing years like coats falling from our shoulders.”
Jude and Noah have had a traumatic few years of their lives, between their mother's death and constant pressuring of them, and the years weigh on them like multiple heavy layers of clothing. This simile shows how they wish they could discard that trauma easily, like clothing, but they know they can't.
Simile of Meeting Your Soulmate
"Meeting your soul mate is like walking into a house you've been in before - you will recognize the furniture, the pictures on the wall, the books on the shelves, the contents of drawers: You could find your way around in the dark if you had to."
Both Jude and Noah meet their significant others and almost immediately experience significant infatuation with them, despite their youth and the lack of time they've known each other. This simile encapsulates why they click so well with those love interests, because they recognize each other almost immediately and realize that they are meant to be together.
Metaphor of the Self
Jude talks about how she feels like people go through different versions of themselves and accumulate different selves as they grow and change. This is a metaphor for the growth that Jude and Noah go through throughout the book, from dealing with their mother's death, coming into themselves as artists, and in Noah's case, feeling comfortable with his sexuality.
Metaphor for Coming of Age
Both Jude and Noah act as metaphors for the traditional coming-of-age narrative. They are figuring out their passions and hobbies, learning how to distance themselves from their family or figure out how to keep that family close, and discover who they are in terms of romance and sexuality. As all of these are important coming of age experiences, the book serves as a metaphor for that experience.
Metaphor of Jude's Sculptures
Jude's sculptures in her art class always break, which leads to her being called Calamity Jane. This serves as a metaphor for the difficulties that young artists often go through, where their work doesn't match their visions and their personal crises get in the way of their artistic success.
