Symbolism In The Impossible Knife Of Memory

1. Anderson uses symbolism in the title of her book The Impossible Knife of Memory.
• Anderson uses symbolism to show that the knife is her memory. Throughout the book, Hayley and her dad would get random flashbacks and I perceive this as the knife slicing through her life in a form of their memories. I also conclude that the memories hold pain just like when people get cut with a knife.
2. Anderson uses symbolism in, "He was coming out of a dark place where he'd been hiding for the last few weeks," (pg. 70 paragraph 2 line 5) in The Impossible Knife of Memory.
• Anderson uses symbolism to compare the dark place with her dad's problems. Hayley's dad is not in the best position in his life and the dark place hints this at readers.
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This also compares the Hayley's relationship with her dad to the countries' relationship.
4. Anderson uses the simile, "The auditorium was cool and damp as a cave," (pg. 281 paragraph 12 line 1) in The Impossible Knife of Memory.
• This simile compares the atmosphere of a cave to the cool and moist atmosphere in the auditorium.
5. Anderson uses the metaphor, "The miles under the tires helped fade everything we didn't want to remember into vague pattern of loosely knit-together shadows that stayed just out of reach, where they belonged," (pg. 26 paragraph 3 line 3) in The Impossible Knife of Memory.
• Anderson uses this metaphor to describe her memories as shadows. Hayley did not want to be reminded of her memories and wanted them gone like shadows. Of course, you cannot get rid of shadows just like how you cannot rid of memories.
6. Anderson uses personification in, “Leaning against my father, the sadness finally broke open inside me, hollowing out my heart and leaving me bleeding," (pg 144) in The Impossible Knife of
She's not actually melting but it portrays her feelings.
9. Anderson also uses the hyperbole, “I swallowed the fear. It’s always there– fear– and if you don’t stay on top of it, you’ll drown,” (6) in The Impossible Knife of Memory.
• Anderson uses this hyperbole to show how fear can be overwhelming by saying that it might drown you. She adds that you must push through or else you will let your fears hold you back.
10.Anderson uses point of view in, "All he heard ere exploding IEDs and incoming mortar rounds; all he saw was were body fragments, like an unattached leg still wearing its boots, and shards of shiny bines, sharp as spears,"(9) in The Impossible Knife of Memory.
• Anderson uses point of view to illustrate what it looks like on the battlefield in the perspective of Hayley's dad. This gives readers an understanding of why Hayley's dad has PTSD and an insight on what he went through.
11. Anderson uses imagery and allusion in, "A few minutes later, the forest opened up and the main campus came into view: old stone buildings, impossibly green lawns, and expensively dressed students. It looked like a supersized, Americanized version of Hogwarts, without the robes," (204) in The Impossible Knife of