Literary Elements

1. Literary Elements

2. “We are all afraid to talk about what stares at us from the dark”(18). This is a metaphor used to help explain that everyone has something that is dark in their lives, something that they are afraid of. The metaphor is saying that this thing haunts us. While it also helps us understand that sometimes it’s so big that it seems as though this problem could be a real live thing waiting for us in the dark or bad times.

3. “‘Take a bite,’ the white light inside the refrigerator tells me”(183-184). This is personification used to explain how hungry Lia is. It’s a way for her to get around the fact that all she can think about is food. By thinking that the fridge is telling her rather than herself thinking this is a way to ease the thought. As well as show the reader that Liais starving.

4. “ A wave of nausea bulldozes through my belly”(144) The personification of nausea shows just how powerful it can be. The nausea overwhelms her and pushes through her as a bulldozer would push through a building. Again showing the intensity of what she is feeling at the moment.

5. “For one moment we are not failed tests and broken condoms and cheating on essays; we are crayons and lunch boxes and swinging so high our sneakers punch holes in the clouds”(15). These metaphors show what the high school students are seen as, these are the things that make up who they are at the moment. The tests and essays are their names. They are giving them the utmost importance, unlike when they were little and all they were was whatever they wanted to be. This is used to describe what the students feel they were, are and aren’t.

6. “Rain pours down my face”(14). Instead of saying I was crying the author uses this more powerful hyperbole to create the idea that it wasn’t just crying. Tears weren’t just streaming down her face rain was pouring down it was a whole storm not just single tears. Using this shows the magnitude of what is happening giving the reader a clear visual.

7. “ The floor rustles under my chair and vines grow up between the polished oak planks”(173). The author is personifying the floor and to give you an image of what it is happening. While vines aren't truly growing up her chair the author is using this to symbolize the problems creeping up on Lia coming at her while she's not watching.

8. “Elijah winces at the razor blades in my voice”(142). The exaggeration of Lia’s tone of voice shows that she was being extremely harsh and cutting with her words. She was being mean and trying to hurt some ones feelings. There were not literal razors in her voice. The author was trying to show the tone by using this hyperbole.