Like Paging a Volume of History (Simile)
Styles describes seeing a picture of his father: "Looking at it was like paging the volume of his history." Fugard employs this simile in order to show Styles's belief in photography as an essential part of documenting people's personal lives. It also evokes the aged quality of the photograph.
Seeing the End of the Road (Simile)
While describing his father, Styles uses the following simile: "He sat there – half smiling, half serious – as if he'd already seen the end of the road." He uses this figurative language to suggest that his father had an early awareness of life's brevity.
A Strong-Room of Dreams (Metaphor)
Styles says that his photography studio is "a strong-room of dreams." He uses this metaphor to say that his studio acts as a vault that preserves and protects people's hopes and dreams, as it captures the major events of their lives in the form of a permanent record.
A Mask of Smiles (Metaphor)
Styles says that on the day of Henry Ford's visit to the car factory, the workers were forced into "wearing a mask of smiles." He uses this metaphor to illustrate the falseness of their cheerful demeanor.
A Pack of Puppies (Simile)
Styles says the following while describing his old bosses waiting for Henry Ford: "the whole bloody lot were there... like a pack of puppies." He compares them to a "pack of puppies" to portray their eagerness and nervousness about Ford's visit. He also means it as an insult, suggesting that they are not very dignified or intelligent.
