1. "So she stood in the middle of the quiet hall like a small bird caught under an inverted bowl." (Chapter 1)
2. "His breath came quickly like that of a frightened animal about to run." (Chapter 2)
3. "Suddenly he could have cried out like a wounded bear as the pain seized him." (Chapter 4)
4. "In his mind as well as in the real world the sky became darker, as threatening as a fist." (Chapter 6)
5. "Her heart, she imagined, beat like the hooves of many small running feet." (Chapter 8)
6. "His fingers pressed the trigger like the wings of a diving bird..." (Chapter 9)
7. "Like an uncoiling spring Rachel launched herself at the guards on one side of the doorway." (Chapter 12)
8. "His voice cracked like brittle sticks under great pressure..." (Chapter 17)
These similes help create vivid imagery and convey emotions, actions, and experiences of the characters in The Chrysalids.