Gurov and Anna as birds (simile)
The narrator describes Gurov and Anna's tragic situation: they are deeply in love and yet relegated to separate lives by their prior marriages. The narrator uses a simile to illustrate this situation: they are "like two migratory birds, male and female, which were caught and forced to live in separate cells.”
Anna's awkward manner (simile)
The narrator compares Anna's awkward manner and confusion about being caught off-guard "as if someone had suddenly knocked at the door.”
Gurov and Anna's love for each other (similes)
At the end of the story, the narrator emphasizes the strength of the love between Gurov and Anna. The narrator describes this love through a series of similes comparing the characters to people who are very close to one another: a husband and wife, and tender friends.
