Cornell, Harvard and Columbia
The narrator mentions how RGB applied to a large number of influential universities, hoping she will be accepted and will be able to follow her dream of becoming a judge. The narrator mentions how RGB was denied by the universities mentioned above because she was a woman and they did not want to accept a woman in their universities. As such, the three universities in question are used in the book as a metaphor that stands for the old ideas and beliefs when it came to a woman's role in society.
The courtroom
After years of hard work and struggling to make a name for herself, RGB became a prominent judge, militating for the rights of marginalized groups and women's rights. Through her work, RGB helped countless people live a healthier and better life, something she could have not done had she not taken the decision to go to law school. As such, the action described in the second part of the book takes place inside the courtroom, which also becomes used as a metaphor for power.
The library
RBG is described in the book as having been an extremely studious child, someone who had an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Unfortunately, because she was a girl, she was not expected to achieve as much as her male counterparts. Celia, RBG's mother however refused to teach her daughter that she was less capable just because she was a female. To try and push her daughter towards an academic career, Celia developed the habit of taking her daughter as often as she could to the library. As such, the library becomes used here as a metaphor for the equality a good education can give.
The first child
RBG started working young, was she was 19. At that time, she was also recently married and expecting her first child. The position held by RBG during her pregnancy was a relatively comfortable one which had the possibility to allow the young woman to advance. However, when RBG'S employers found out about her pregnancy, they decided to let her off while also letting her understand that she had no more chances to become successful. Because of this, pregnancy and also children are used here as a metaphor which represents the fact that society punished women for things they had no control over whatsoever.
The judge robes
An important moment in the book is highlighted as being the scene in which RBG receives her robes. From that point on, the robes are used here as a metaphor to represent the young woman's triumph over a sexist society.
