Russian roulette (Metaphor)
The suicide of the Lisbon girls is a metaphorical performance of Russian roulette. As we know, only one chamber has a bullet in this game. But the Lisbon girls’ gun is loaded. Their gun is fully charged. The first bullet is a parental abuse of children. The second one is a lack of freedom and independence. The third one is an inexorable fate. Other bullets also have many reasons. There are no empty chambers. Playing roulette, a person has two ways- to live or die. But the girls’ game has only a single way- to leave this world.
Animal with a collar (Simile)
When Cecilia’s parents decide to organize a party, she puts on many beautiful bracelets. She looks “like an animal with a bell on its collar.” The author gives this unusual comparison, because the rattling of her bracelets comforts Cecilia’s parents after her unsuccessful suicide. It allows them to keep track of daughter’s movements.
Like a thousand flowers (Simile)
Trip Fontaine is the most handsome boy of the school. His beauty impresses everybody. All girls and even their mothers fall in love with Trip Fontaine. Their desire is magnificent “like a thousand daisies attuning their faces toward the part of the sun.” Trip’s beauty is like sunbeams, which inspire and give out warmth. Women need this inspiration and warmth.
