Jasper the Snake – A simile
“Do you know why? Because I'd have known how to hit you hardest," said Musk, hissing like a snake; "because I'd have known where to hurt you most!"
In this passage, Jasper Musk is compared to a snake by means of the word ‘like’. This simile emphasizes the malignant nature of the man, and also the viciousness of his speech, which is here understood to be like venom.
The Dying Church – A Simile
“As the two men crouched and watched, the flames felt the front pews with their splay blue tentacles, and the woodwork which was still untouched glistened like a human body in pain.”
In this simile, the woodwork of the church is compared to a human being writhing in pain amidst the flame of the fire. The comparison conveys the value of the church in the heart of its parson. For Carlton, it was much more than mere wood and stone that burnt that night; he stood there in agony as if the church was a dying man.
The Metaphor of Mastery
“It was a long time, however, before even he was master of himself in this regard”
In this passage, Carlton is compared to a master without the use of “like” or “as”. This metaphor serves to highlight the difficulty, with which, the parson was met before he could reach a state of moderation between his emotions, guilt, and duty.
The Metaphor of the Dog
“He was without that friend of friendless man, his dog. The good Glen, his second shadow in these days, had chosen this one to desert him”
This passage contains two metaphors. The first compares the parson’s dog to a friend, while the second dwells upon its resemblance to a shadow. The comparison was made with no use of “like” or “as” with the objective of emphasizing the value of Glen in the eyes of his master at this particularly unfavorable period of his life.
