“Eugenics happy”
This is a benevolent-sounding metaphor for a malevolent practice discussed in an inappropriately light-hearted fashion in the novel. The term is a metaphor used by social workers for clearing out the backlog of their caseloads by recommending nearly everyone to the state-sponsored Eugenics Sterilization Program.
Never Cross a Ramshackle Bridge
The author engages a particularly vivid simile to produce a horrifying reminder of why one should never attempt to cross a bridge that looks unsafe. After the inevitable happens and a character experiences the lesson first-hand:
“She looked like a broken marionette.”
The Curse of Being Blessed
Mary Ella is described as being both blessed and cursed because of her physical attributes. Those attributes are described in a panoply of metaphorical allusion:
“Roses in her cheeks. Full head of long wild curls, the color of sweet corn. Carolina-blue eyes.”
Time Shift
Ever find yourself in a situation where it seems like you are somehow out of sync with time? For instance, meeting a pretty young woman with a name associated with old maids like Agatha or Myrtle? Or driving through the main drag of a very small town that looks like something out of a 1950’s movie? Such is the inspiration behind this infinitely accessible and relatable simile:
“A woman appeared at the man’s side, and I felt as though I were looking at one of those old Depression-era photos of photos of deep, inescapable poverty.”
Ivy
The protagonist of the novel, Ivy, is a fifteen-year-old girl carrying far more weight on her shoulders than should ever be expected. Her daily existence is captured in a moment of metaphorical self-reflection early in the novel:
“Some days I felt like I was everybody’s mama.”
