The Mind in Dementia (Simile)
Hai compares the mind in dementia to an Etch A Sketch when he says that a little shake can cause images to "[vanish] to a grey and otherworldly blankness" (Chapter 3). While Hai ensures that Grazina takes her medication, his caregiving does not include forcing her to be in his present reality. Instead, he allows her to lead elaborate war games. At one point, Hai wonders if Grazina invents these war stories as a pageantry of chaos.
The Body as a Time Shovel (Metaphor)
While in a pharmaceutical stupor, Hai wishes to tell Grazina "that the body was just this stupid little shovel we use to dig through the hours only to end up surrounded by more empty space than we know what to do with" (Chapter 6). This metaphor reveals the extent of Hai's depression.
HomeMarket as a Town Square (Similie)
The HomeMarket crew and a few regulars dining at the restaurant burst into applause when BJ performs her heavy metal singing set. Hai compares "the tiny box of a restaurant in a strip mall" to a "bizarre town square" (Chapter 15). A town square is an open public space located in the heart of a city or town, designed for community gatherings, social interaction, and civic life.
Depression Like the Weather (Simile)
When Grazina feels depressed on Christmas Eve, Hai comforts her by normalizing the experience. He tells her, “'[l]ook, I have it too. It’s just like weather. Like clouds and rain and stuff. They go away. But some of us spend more time in London, you know? Or Seattle. You’re just raining right now'" (Chapter 16). By commiserating and identifying with Grazina, Hai gives her a different lens through which to view her depression.
Hai Like the Sea (Metaphor)
In Vietnamese, the name "Hai" means ocean or sea. In Chapter 16, Hai embodies his own name when he feels that he is "drifting through the wide-open waters of East Gladness." The ocean can be tranquil or destructive depending on the day. Hai feels aimless at this point in his life.
