The Pillowman

The Pillowman Metaphors and Similes

"Do you think we're animals?" (Metaphor)

In the middle of questioning Katurian, Tupolski asks him if he thinks he and Ariel are animals. He uses a metaphor to suggest that Katurian perceives them to be particularly brutish and not governed by morals or human thought.

The Pillowman (Metaphor)

The figure of the pillowman is a supernatural figure who is literally made of pillows. Thus, his name is a metaphor of sorts; rather than just a nickname that alludes to some part of his character, the name of "Pillowman" says exactly what he is, a man made entirely of pillows.

"Crying like babies" (Simile)

In Katurian's story about the green pig, he describes the final scene, in which all the other pigs get painted green by the rain. He uses a simile to describe the dismay of the other pigs at having changed color, describing them as "crying like babies."

"This is just like storytelling" (Simile)

When he is trapped in the same cell as his brother, Michal, Katurian compares their plight to storytelling. He suggests that they have to figure out how to tell their story in such a way that will prevent them from getting executed, using a simile to compare the situation to storytelling.

"He's just a child" (Metaphor)

When he thinks that Ariel and Tupolski are going to torture his brother, Michal, Katurian begs them not to, using a metaphor to describe his brother's disability. He suggests that his brother is "just a child," comparing his cognitive state to that of a child. This metaphor also alludes to the fact that, after the abuse he suffered at the hands of their parents, Michal is stuck in the traumatic world of his own childhood.