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Simile
Explanation and Analysis—Sour Apples:
When Amir describes to Sohrab the unpleasant aftereffects of eating too many sour apples, he creates an allegory that illustrates the importance of patience:
One time, when I was really little, I climbed a tree and ate these green, sour apples. My stomach swelled and became hard like a drum, it hurt a lot. Mother said that if I’d just waited for the apples to ripen, I wouldn’t have become sick. So now, whenever I really want something, I try to remember what she said about the apples.
Eating sour, unripe apples can cause a nasty stomachache because they contain more acid (and harder-to-digest starches) than ripe ones. Amir’s stomach is so swollen after he eats the apples that it becomes tight and hard, like a drum. It’s a sharp, physical image of regret, which his mother drives home by reminding him he could have avoided it had he waited for the apples to ripen. Amir remembers how painful the consequences of eating the sour apples were, and he uses that childhood memory to remind him to exercise patience when necessary. Thinking of his mother’s admonition about the apples helps him step back and consider the potential consequences of a choice when he’s feeling impatient.
This memory ties impatience to direct negative outcomes. Amir realizes that rushing into something can be harmful, while waiting can sometimes avert suffering. The story of the apples becomes a simple but lasting allegory for larger decisions Amir faces later in life. Waiting for the “apples” to ripen can help him avoid all sorts of “stomachaches” later on.
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