The pictures of beauty (metaphor)
Both sisters, Martine and Philippa, were considered extremely beautiful girls, “extraordinary pretty, with the almost supernatural fairness of flowering fruit trees or perpetual snow”. They were much desired at balls and parties, but the only place where they could be sees was church, so many young men came there to watch them “walk up the aisle”. Besides, Philippa “also had a lovely voice, which filled the church with sweetness”.
Special bird (metaphor)
When Philippa refused to continue taking lessons of singing from Monsieur Papin, he was very disappointed, and his great grief was that “this poor weedy garden of the world has lost its nightingale”. He metaphorically calls Philippa a nightingale, as considers her special among people, as this bird is special among birds.
The Berlevaag town (Simile)
The town of Berlevaag is depicted by the author as “a child’s toy-town of little wooden pieces painted gray, yellow, pink and many other colors”. And when it snows the houses’ “ small windowpanes became pasted with snow”.
Young singing star (Simile)
Achille was very exciting about his lessons of singing with Philippa, he started dreaming of singing with her together in future, and often told her that “she would rise like a star above any diva of the past or present”.
Babette the priestess (Simile)
Two sisters often saw Babette sitting in the kitchen with her hands in her lap and with eyes widely open, her look was “as enigmatical and fatal as a Pythia upon her tripod”. The author compares the cook with Pythia, who was the priestess of Apollo at Delphi in ancient Greece.
Future general (Simile)
Being still young, Lorens Loewenhielm gave many promises as to his future as he “attracted dreams and fancies as a flower attracts bees and butterflies”. It became truth – he rose to the rank of the general.
