In Dreams Begin Responsibilities and Other Stories Metaphors and Similes

In Dreams Begin Responsibilities and Other Stories Metaphors and Similes

A city of Churches (metaphor)

The author metaphorically calls Brooklyn a city of churches, as on Sunday there are no shops and stores open. Everything is closed, except for “an occasional stationery store or drug-store”. The assumption is that everyone has gone to church, as there are also fewer people and cars on the streets.

Streets in shadow (metaphor)

Though the story is a short one, it does not lack poetic metaphors: one of these is the one about “trees which patrol each street, now coming to their full leafage and the time when they will room the whole street in cool shadow”. Poetic representation of trees with their leaves creating shadows adds a positive impression to the whole narration.

Merry-go-round (metaphor)

Another metaphor portrayed in no less detail is the ride on the merry-go-round. They tried to take nickel rings attached to the posts, the father has acquired ten rings and the mother only two “although it was the mother who really wanted them”. Another situation proving how blind these two are as they strive for different things and at the same time get the things which are completely opposite to the ones they really wish for.

A movie shot during the rain (simile)

From the very first lines of the story, the author tries to give an impression of the movie which does not seem to be very attractive, but on the contrary it seems to be dull and boring as clothes of the actors are old-fashioned, light is bad, “one flash succeeds another with sudden jumps”. The the attention is drawn to the shots which are full “of dots and rays” and taken “as if it were raining”. The very first impression of the movie is not especially promising.

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