Like a Desperado (Simile)
Encountering some boys from his school, Iswaran acts tough to shield himself from their mockery: "He answered their attitude by behaving like a desperado. He swung his arms, strode up and down, bragged and shouted, and went to a cinema.” Describing him as "behaving like a desperado" highlights his attempt to present himself as masculine and tough in order to downplay the insults of his peers.
Passers-by Appearing Like Shadows (Simile)
In "Forty-Five A Month," Shanta goes out looking for her father. After a long time passes, it begins to get dark: “She walked on the very edge of the road. Soon the lamps were twinkling, and the passers-by looked like shadows.” By depicting the people walking by Shanta as appearing "like shadows," Narayan heightens the sense that Shanta is lost and potentially in some degree of danger.
Dosais Looking Like Muslin (Simile)
In the story, "Martyr's Corner," the food vendor's dosais are described in the following way: "Dosais, white, round and limp, looking like layers of muslin.” The comparison to muslin accentuates the delicacy and softness of the dosais. This also subtly highlights the level of care the vendor puts into making them each day.
Attila Eats Like an Elephant (Simile)
Attila, the titular dog in the story "Attila," is depicted as having a voracious appetite: "'He eats like an elephant,’ said the mother of the family." This comparison to an elephant suggests that the dog eats a great deal. This is an important detail in the context of the story, as Attila has yet to actually prove his worth as a watchdog. So, for the time being, his eating habits are just putting a strain on the family without providing anything in return.
A Bolt from the Blue (Metaphor)
In "Out of Business," Narayan describes the end of Rama Rao's gramophone shop in the following way: “And one day, it was a bolt from the blue, the crash came.” He uses the figure of speech "a bolt from the blue" to amplify the unexpectedness of this turn. This description highlights the fact that his business crashed in a shockingly quick manner.
