Metaphors about the narrator:
* "I was like a wisp of smoke." This emphasizes her feeling of insignificance and fragility compared to Rebecca, whose presence still looms large.
* "I was a pale shadow, an echo." This reinforces her sense of being invisible and overshadowed by Rebecca's powerful ghost.
* "I was a moth drawn to a flame." This depicts her obsession with Manderley and the secrets it holds, even though it burns her with guilt and insecurity.
Metaphors about Rebecca:
* "Rebecca was the sun and I was the moon." This highlights the narrator's perception of herself as constantly in the shadow of Rebecca, who is seen as radiant and captivating.
* "Rebecca was the moon, and I was the earth." This metaphor reverses the previous one, suggesting the narrator's realization that she is the grounded, real person while Rebecca is the idealized, unattainable figure.
* "Rebecca was a phantom, a spectre that haunted the house." This portrays Rebecca as a ghost-like presence that lingers in Manderley and threatens the narrator's happiness.
Metaphors about Manderley:
* "Manderley was like a beautiful woman, aging but still magnificent." This personifies the house and emphasizes its power and allure, even though it is slowly decaying.
* "Manderley was a tomb." This suggests that Manderley is a place of death and secrets, where the past cannot be escaped.
* "Manderley was a prison." This metaphor captures the narrator's feeling of being trapped and suffocated by the memories and expectations associated with the house.
Metaphors about love and marriage:
* "Our love was a fragile thing." This suggests that the narrator and Maxim's relationship is vulnerable and could easily be destroyed.
* "Our marriage was a house built on sand." This implies that their marriage is unstable and lacks a solid foundation, due to the secrets and shadows of the past.
These metaphors are not only literary devices, but they also contribute to the psychological depth of the story. They help us understand the narrator's emotional state, her relationship with Rebecca, and the powerful influence of the past on the present.