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Irony
Definition of Metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor can be stated explicitly, as... read full definition
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor... read full definition
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other... read full definition
Chapter 6: North Carolina
Explanation and Analysis—Sharks Below Deck:
Along Cora’s journey, metaphors connect her experience to the past in ways that description alone cannot—they call attention to the emotional intensity of her escape and the lasting, intergenerational effects of slavery. While hiding in Martin and Ethel’s attic, Cora repeatedly risks capture by the night riders, who conduct their searches of the house whenever they wish. During one such visit, a duo of night riders comes dangerously close to catching her:
The men were sharks moving their snouts beneath a ship, looking for the food they sense was close. Only thin planks separated hunger and prey.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Servant vs. Slave:
The novel’s foil of Cora and Fiona sets up a comparative study between slavery and servitude. The story introduces readers to Martin and Ethel’s house servant in its North Carolina chapter, just after Cora has escaped to the state. Cora never glimpses Fiona during her time in the attic, but she hears of the servant’s curses and grudging acts of service. When the night riders haul Cora and her hosts out, she discovers that Fiona had been responsible for turning them in:
Unlock with LitCharts A+She was so young, Cora thought. Her face was a round and freckled apple, but there was hardness in her eyes. It was difficult to believe the grunts and cusses she’d heard over the months had come out of that little mouth, but the eyes were proof enough.
Related Themes:
