Meg Long's smell
As Meg Long, the first auditioner, comes close to Ralph, he uses a simile to compare the way she smelt to death. The imagery facilitates the reader's perception of the woman's smell: "She smelled like death."
Water flying from Meg Long's body
As Meg Long stands in front of the recruiting officer's desk, the narrator describes her as grinning and shaking herself. Having been wet, to enhance the imagery of how the water flew from her body, a simile is used where the same is compared to a wet dog: "Water flew from her as from a wet dog."
The sitting of the food in Ralph's stomach
After Private Ellis brings Ralph his food, he eats it without joy. A simile is used to present the way in which the food sat in Ralph's stomach, like a cramp: "He ate the food without joy, and it sat like a cramp on his belly."
Desire passed through him like nausea
After Harry expresses the way in which he felt that the woman he was in love with Handy Baker more than him, a simile is used to present the imagery of how desire passed through him--like nausea: "Ralph felt desire pass through him like nausea."
He steps like a castle
Arscott uses a simile to express the strength in the man's steps directly comparing it to a castle. This facilitates imagery: “I must say that never in my life have I seen a man better built. How firm and strong he treads! He steps like a castle!"
