Heart of gold (metaphor)
When Mrs. Gumbeiner speaks about Guinzburg (a minor character, who has a sick bladder), she praises that person. The old woman says that he has “a heart of gold, a pure heart”. Mrs. Gumbeiner has in view that the heart is not made of gold. It means that the person is very kind and he does not sin. Guinzburg has a pure soul that adorns him.
Severe heart (simile)
“In Chicago where the winters were as cold and bitter as the Czar of Russia’s heart,” Mr. Gumbeiner had strength to carry the frames with the glass together day in and day out. Here the author uses a very interesting comparison. Davidson has in view that Russian Czars are very violent and severe. Their hearts are cold as the weather in Chicago.
Like a golem (simile)
When Mr. and Mrs. Gumbeiner see a stranger on the threshold of their house, Mr. Gumbeiner says that the stranger “walks like a golem”. Mr. Gumbeiner has in view that the stranger has very abrupt movements as the robot has and his face does not show any emotion.
