The Great Wheel of Emotions
“My emotions are revolving like a great wheel, spinning between denial, hope, despair, and rage – the strongest of which is rage.” (16)
Michael is reeling from the discovery that the Elgen have destroyed Timepiece Ranch, the secret base of the resistance, and left no survivors. His mother, Ostin’s parents, and Taylor’s parents were all there, along with their friends Tanner and Grace and the rest of the resistance. This simile, comparing Michael’s emotions to a spinning wheel, emphasizes the confused turmoil of his feelings, and the strength of the emotions he will harness to take revenge on the Elgen.
A Hundred Frying Pans of Bacon
“It was almost as if I had become one of my lightning balls, and the sound of electricity sizzled like a hundred frying pans of bacon.” (37)
At this point in the novel, Michael is defending himself from the advances of a hostile gang. His powers are constantly growing, and he has become wreathed in so much electricity because of his strong emotion that he looks like he’s made lightning. These two similes highlight the extraordinary effect of his power, as well as the terrifying aspect of his appearance to his former attackers.
Life is a Game of Chess
“Life is a game of chess … The pieces are always in motion.” (110)
Quentin says this quote while facing Tara in a friendly game of chess, Torstyn remarks on its profundity. Quentin, taught by Dr. Hatch, views life as a competition, seeing all the moving pieces on the other side as potential threats to be neutralized before they can harm him. This war-based metaphor reveals the deep-set paranoia and sense of self-preservation in Hatch, and it’s being passed down from him to his students.
Hell
“This is what hell looks like, gentlemen.” (5)
This comparison, spoken by one of the Elgen operative destroying Timepiece Ranch in the prologue, accentuates the incredible force of the destruction; firing hundreds of missiles and dropping napalm on the site, the level of fiery destruction is evocative of images of Hell.
A Brain Like Google
“His brain is like Google.” (99)
In this simile, Taylor is comparing Ostin’s vast database of knowledge to that of Google. The comparison highlights Ostin’s ability to remember incredible amounts of information and recall it with relative ease, a facet of his genius. Ostin’s knowledge is usually useful for a few laughs, but it often saves the Electroclan from danger.
