Jobs Licking Ass In the Corporate World (Metaphor)
Early in the novel, Stan is willing to do anything for work, but he doesn't know where to turn for employment following the big financial crash. Staying close to Stan's thoughts, the narrator comments, "There used to be a lot of jobs licking ass in the corporate world, but those asses are now out of reach." In this metaphor, the narrator likens the subordinate positions in the corporate world to "licking ass." This metaphor emphasizes the demeaning nature of working a job where one is expected only to do what pleases the bosses.
His Off Switch Never Worked (Metaphor)
When Stan visits his brother, he remembers how violent and devious Conor used to be. The narrator comments that Conor's "Off switch never worked too well when he was a kid." In this metaphor, the narrator refers to the ability to control one's anger as an "Off switch" that can be used to turn off a device. With a malfunctioning "Off switch," Conor is liable to become uncontrollably violent.
Peel Off Her Like an Onion Skin And Step Out of That Skin (Simile and Metaphor)
After seeing a TV ad for the Positron/Consilience twin city project, Charmaine considers her grimy surroundings at PixelDust. She imagines herself leaving behind the brutal and unpleasant world she's in. The narrator comments, "All of that can be shed, it can peel off her like an onion skin, and she can step out of that skin and be a different person." In this combination of simile and metaphor, the narrator emphasizes the transformation Charmaine envisions by likening it to peeling off the outer, dead skin of an onion, which she could then "step out of" into a new life.
Silent As a Submarine (Simile)
After speaking with Conor, Stan witnesses his brother and his bodyguards get into "a long black car, which slides off into the night, silent as a submarine." In this simile, the narrator hints at the money Conor makes as a criminal by emphasizing the technologically sophisticated vehicle in which he is driven around. Not a busted third-hand Honda like Stan drives, Conor's vehicle is an electric hybrid that moves with the silence of an underwater craft.
Jasmine In His Crosshairs (Metaphor)
To track Jasmine's movements, Stan inserts a second-hand Consilience phone into the seat of the scooter she shares with his wife; he learns that Jasmine goes to the gym often and considers ambushing her there. One night, Stan tunes in to a Town Meeting announcement and hears that Ed has learned people are using phones in unintended ways. Stan is startled and resolves to get rid of the phone immediately, reassuring himself that he's already "got Jasmine in his crosshairs." In this metaphor, the narrator likens the crosshairs on a gun sight to Stan's targeted surveillance of Jasmine.
