the palms closed like a parasol
In Act Without Words, the sole simile is "The palms closed like a parasol," referring to the tree that descended from the fly. After the man cut his nail with scissors, the stage directions say that the palms closed like a parasol. Since it is the only simile or metaphor, in the play it is quite significant. The tree closing represents the "shadow" being gone because a parasol would cast a shadow and keep the sun away. When the tree dries up, it dies, and it closes up, and it no longer casts a shadow. The significance of the shadow is the parallel between "the tree of life" and the man.
