A Weight She Can't Carry (Simile)
As she reflects on her misery, Nora feels completely hopeless. The narrator describes "her despair growing like a weight she couldn’t carry." This simile suggests the way that Nora feels completely crushed by the heaviness of her circumstances.
A Black Hole (Metaphor)
While looking at a copy of the magazine National Geographic, Nora notices its cover: “As she stared now at the magazine cover—an image of a black hole—she realised that’s what she was. A black hole. A dying star, collapsing in on itself.” This metaphor gives a sense of how little hope she has for the future, as she feels that her life is so bleak it resembles the void of a black hole.
Like a German Symphony (Simile)
When Nora learns that her cat has died, the narrator describes how "her mind felt loud, like a Sturm und Drang symphony, as if the ghost of a German composer was trapped inside her mind, conjuring chaos and intensity." This lengthy simile is employed to depict the intense distress she is experiencing in her mind at that moment, comparing it to the drama of a symphony by composers like Wagner.
Her Heart Pounding Like a Drummer
When Nora encounters a polar bear in her glaciologist life, "her heart pounded like a drummer reaching the crescendo." This simile works to suggest her intense terror, as her fear manifests in an intense physical reaction. It also uses musical terminology to remind the reader of Nora's background as a singer and pianist.
Like A Mosquito in Amber (Simile)
While talking with Dylan in her "gentle" life, Nora learns that Mrs. Elm is still alive and is surprised. She realizes that her image of Mrs. Elm is "preserved in [her] memory like a mosquito in amber." This simile works to suggest how solidified Nora's image of Mrs. Elm is in her mind.
