Opening Line
The novel opens with the use of simile in its very first line. “Alex approached Black Elm as if she were sidling up to a wild animal, cautious in her walk up the long, curving driveway, careful not to show her fear.” Black Elm refers to a house with a very strange relationship to the pits of hell. Thus, the comparison to a wild animal is appropriate even if it seems overdone. This use of metaphorical imagery facilitates the purpose of the opening scene, which is to convey to the readers the deep state of Alex’s terror.
Pop Culture
Pop culture references are often used as shorthand for a simile which is already shorthand to convey information quickly. “She sounded like she was quoting an episode of Law & Order.” Most readers at the time of publication would be instantly familiar with the meaning of this reference. Readers in the future, however, will likely miss the connection that the person talking is using criminal slang to deny committing a betrayal.
Cultural Allusion
Before pop culture came along and created an entire galaxy of easy reference points for metaphorical meaning, high culture was the origination point, especially Shakespeare. It still works well today. “He was like Puck and Prospero all wrapped up together.” This simile presents the future that awaits the Law & Order reference above. Once upon a time, many more readers would be familiar with these Shakespearean characters than are now. The comparison is a strange one: the “he” here is a combination of mischievous fairy and misguided self-taught sorcerer.
Magic
The references to Prospero and Puck make sense because magic is prevalent throughout the narrative. It is not always viewed positively, however “Because magic never did the kind thing.” The meaning of this cryptic metaphor is simply that magic itself—the actual ability rather than the specific use—is amoral in itself. The quote is not saying that magic does the unkind thing but rather suggests that in all cases it is indifferent to outcome and consequence.
Mannequin
One of the greatest powers that police detectives have at their disposal is silence and a policeman character in the story engages this power. “Turner just let her talk, sitting in cold silence, as if he were a mannequin who’d been placed behind the steering wheel to demonstrate safe driving.” The comparison to a mannequin does the job of creating an image of stoic but judgmental silence. The additional detail about specifically being a crash test dummy lends the metaphorical imagery a somewhat surreal tone.
