How Does Allen Use Metaphors In Bread And The Land

In the short story “Bread and the Land” Allen uses metaphors to give the reader hints as to what the author is trying to convey with the characters such as Blunt, Hatch, or even the mother. The metaphors are used to give the reader more detail on the perspective of Hatch and how his relationship with his grandmother is complex. Allens choice of words such as similes gives the words he uses a greater effect given the context of the situation.

The complexity of the relationship between the grandson and grandmother is staggering seeing as she had not been a part of her grandson's life for too long. The grandmother is confronted by her grandson when he exclaims to her that didn’t show up. The author uses words such as hate to describe the anger

In the middle Hatch runs out of the cab and is running towards someone and is fueled by rage. Hatch's determination and movement were described as a tank and his anger was unstoppable. “he moved like a tank in his armored snowsuit, smooth heavy unstoppable anger.”

When the grandmother first speaks she says “Baby, baby, take off this heavy load Oh, baby, baby, lift up my heavy load Got this beast of burden And he got to go.” This is an apology to Hatch by saying how he shouldn’t feel bad and how she feels that she has this heavy burden which could be in reference to how she wants to buy them a house that can fit all three of them. This was to put more emphasis on the character Blunt as more redeemable and more understandable. Allen uses these words to show how the grandmother still cares for her family and wants to provide by playing outside to earn money.

When reading the passage it seems that Allen only chooses words that can best describe the complicated relationship between Hatch and Blunt. Allen uses similes and metaphors that can exaggerate how a character is feeling at that moment. He also uses words that can be interpreted more in depth of the