Waves (Metaphor)
"The effect of this was to pull and tug at my moods; waves of mourning washed over me, sadness and regret prompted at times by an external stimulus, and at others by an internal cycle that was almost tidal, for want of a better word." (172)
Even after returning to Pakistan, Changez finds his emotional life still dominated by thoughts and the seeming presence of Erica. It seems that he is determined more by an environment springing from his past emotional attachment and memory, as opposed to his present circumstances.
Princeton Raised Her Skirt (Metaphor)
The narrator says that every fall Princeton University was open for corporate recruiters to find a good and successful student and offer a job. But this process was not considered by the narrator as the best time during his studying, although he was glad to be offered a job. This experience causes him to depict the period of university recruiting as something vulgar, with shades of irony and sarcasm.
Living in New York was like Living in a Film about World War II (Simile)
This simile explains the narrator's feeling about life in the Big Apple after the events of September, 11, when the whole country was in pain and the concepts of duty, dignity, and honor were as popular and up to date as in the period of the Second World War. America, the great country that was constantly looking forward to the future, is now looking back.
Valparaiso – the Distraction (Metaphor)
Chagnez left for Chile for business, but he couldn’t concentrate on work there because this picturesque city was itself a distraction for him. The atmosphere was melancholic, and he felt it in every step. He found out that the city was declining for over a century and then it lost its greatness. This city reminded him of Lahore because in both cities “the ruins proclaim the building was beautiful.” The metaphor is used for depicting the inner struggle of the narrator, as he still doesn’t know what to choose—a wealthy life in America or a patriotic return to Pakistan.
A Modern-day Janissary (Metaphor)
After discovering the history of Valparaiso and comparing it with his native city, Changez spent all night thinking about what he had become. He came to the conclusion that he was a modern-day janissary: “a servant of the American empire at a time when it was invading a country with a kinship to mine and was perhaps even colluding to ensure that my own country faced the threat of war.” He felt torn and didn’t know what to do. On the one hand, America made him and gave him a lucky ticket to a happy life, but on the other hand, his country was suffering from its cruel policy. The metaphor depicts the inner struggle of the character.
