Metaphor: Cao Cao and an eagle
Cao Cao is often compared to a heroic, ferocious eagle who soars over his domain and attacks his enemies. By comparing Cao Cao to an eagle, author Lou Guanzhong highlights his ambition, strategic foresight, and his cold, cunning nature. Just like an eagle, Cao Cao is an apex predator.
Metaphor: The Three Kingdoms period and the sea
Guanzhong often likens the chaos and turbulence of the Three Kingdoms period to a rough, violent sea caused by poor weather. This comparison captures the intensity and unpredictability of the period and underscores how much pain and suffering the turbulence has caused.
Metaphor: Rebellion and political movements
Throughout the novel, rebellion is a metaphor for the political movements going on in China that aimed to overturn unjust systems, which the warlords saw as the Han dynasty.
Simile: Brothers
The simile "Brothers are like arms and legs; wives and children are merely garments that can always be mended. But who can mend a broken limb?" This simile, which compares a person's relationship with their sibling to the integral nature of their arms and legs, shows the different (but equally important) roles people play in a person's life.
