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Idiom
Explanation and Analysis—Like a Bomb:
After the carnival, in Chapter 9, Knowles uses an idiom and a simile to convey the tension and strain between Gene and Finny as their relationship flirts with disaster. Gene observes Finny’s very precarious emotional state:
He gave me a long, pondering look, his face closed and concentrating while behind it his mind plainly teetered between fury and hilarity; I think if I had batted an eye he would have hit me. The carnival’s breaking apart into a riot hung like a bomb between us.
When someone uses the idiom "batted an eye," they are usually referring to the idea of making a very small movement, gesture, or sound that might disturb a situation. In this instance, Gene is doing this, but he’s also literally referring to blinking. He feels that even the smallest movement might provoke Finny into violent action. Gene’s constant awareness of Finny’s emotional state reflects how well he knows his friend. He searches every subtle cue he can spot for signs of potential aggression.
The simile "hung like a bomb" likens the tension between the boys to the dread of an unexploded bomb falling. The unresolved emotions between Gene and Finny—paired with the chaos and noise of the carnival around them—make Gene feel that Finny is seconds away from losing his temper and “detonating” the bomb.
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