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Simile
Explanation and Analysis—Invidious Doctors:
Ammu, Chacko, Baby Kochamma, and the twins encounter a Marxist march on their way to the movies in Cochin. A cynical comment from Ammu causes her brother Chacko to lash out with a simile:
“Ammu,” Chacko said, his voice steady and deliberately casual, “is it at all possible for you to prevent your washed-up cynicism from completely coloring everything?”
Silence filled the car like a saturated sponge. “Washed-up” cut like a knife through a soft thing. The sun shone with a shuddering sigh. This was the trouble with families. Like invidious doctors, they knew just where it hurt.
Though Chacko is a supporter of Marxism, Ammu is more cynical towards life and political systems. When Chacko lashes out, he verbally hurts Ammu. The simile "like invidious doctors" compares family members to unpleasant doctors who know just where to hurt people. Family members knows each other best, yet this means that they know each other's weaknesses best as well. Chacko's comment in return is also a testament to the flawed family element in the novel: family members are one other’s greatest enemies, sources of pain, and outlets for love. Even the sun is offset by Chacko's cruelty here, as it gives a "shuddering sigh" when Chacko offends his sister.
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