Crab/bucket syndrome
The issue at Cedric's high school is described with the following metaphor: "Educators have even coined a phrase for it. They call it the crab/bucket syndrome: when one crab tries to climb from the bucket, the others pull it back down. The forces dragging students toward failure—especially those who have crawled farthest up the side—flow through every corner of the school. Inside the bucket, there is little chance for escape." This metaphor describes the issues that Cedric experiences, as he tries to achieve academically but is bullied by the other students.
Refrigerator simile
When Cedric and his mother are going through a particularly difficult time financially, they are unable to turn the heating on. This is during the winter when it is freezing cold, and Cedric comments that it is affecting his studies: "How can I compete? It's like I'm living in a refrigerator!." Here, Cedric uses a simile to express how he feels about his living conditions.
Fortress simile
When Cedric first arrives at university, he realizes that he is very different to his roommate, Rob. While Cedric is incredibly tidy due to his upbringing, Rob is very messy: "He looked across the room at the empty bed, at the hospital corners and fluffed pillows, everything in order, like a fortress." Cedric's bed is described as being like a "fortress," to emphasize how structured, organized and tidy Cedric is.
Academic soup simile
When describing his education at Ballou High School in comparison to the education other students received, Cedric says "Ballou looks increasingly like a thin academic soup." This simile emphasizes how Cedric wasn't properly challenged as Ballou and did not receive the education he needed.
