Demon Copperhead: Similes 10 key examples

Demon claims that he can recall “every single thing” about the funeral, a memory that he compares, in a simile, to a “monster rock in the ocean” that can destroy him at any moment. Here, he invokes a wide range of senses, noting a number of specific visual details, such as the “toothpaste green of the walls” and the “colored windows” of the church, as well as auditory details, such as the “sound of the quavery organ” and the buzzing of the wasps. He also invokes the sense of smell, describing the “smell of sweat and shoe polish” and the perfume of the older women, and he recalls a number of tactile details, including the “itchy black socks” he wore and the uncomfortably warm, still air in the church. Demon’s detailed recollection of the funeral suggests that this was a major moment in his young life, a memory that continues to haunt him as an adult. 

Previously, he was close to the Peggots, who were neighbors as well as close family friends. Though Maggot is able to convince his grandparents to bring Demon with them to Knoxville for the holidays, Demon quickly perceives that they do not want him there. He describes himself, in a simile, as being like "sour milk," and then further, in a metaphor, as "a rotten little piece of American pie." These metaphors, both related to rotting food, underscore his deep sense of shame and worthlessness. When he was younger and his mother was alive, the Peggots welcomed him into their home. Now, however, he feels tainted by his mother's death by overdose and his status as a foster-child, and he believes that "everybody wishes" that he could just be "removed" like spoiled food. Demon's feelings of alienation later lead him to seek connections with others that often prove unhealthy or destructive. 

Mr. Armstrong emphasizes that the United States and the Confederacy were on "opposite sides" of the Civil War and reasons that the values represented by both flags are irreconcilable. Using a simile, he says that flying both flags together is like rooting for two rival football teams simultaneously. Though some of the students do not accept Mr. Armstrong's argument, citing "heritage" as a reason for flying the Confederate flag, Mr. Armstrong argues that this is illogical, as the people living in the mountains of Lee County were politically disenfranchised and, unable to vote, never voted to join the Confederacy. The novel presents Mr. Armstrong as a voice of reason, who urges his students to use logic and to think about the complex history of their region. 

At first, Demon believes that Angus is jealous because his drawings have received a good deal of praise from art teacher Ms. Annie. Angus, however, insists that football, rather than art, is the object of her ire, as their school "threw money at that like water on a house fire," a simile that underscores the strong emphasis on sports, rather than academics, in the Lee County school board. Demon, who hopes to join the high school football team, claims that a high school without football would be "church with no Jesus." In this metaphor, he identifies football, rather than education, as the core of high school, just as the figure of Jesus Christ is at the center of Christian worship. In this passage, Kingsolver satirizes the outsized role of football in American high schools. 

Though Demon thinks of Betsy's home as a somewhat uncomfortable and formal environment, Angus looks upon it fondly, as she associates it with her mother, who was raised by Betsy. Using similes, he describes Angus as holding onto her hat "like she's in shock, and it might fly off" and as appearing  "like this happy big-eyed fairy in a white T-shirt." These similes underscore the importance that the house holds for Angus, who feels connected to her late mother while there. Demon hyperbolically suggests that nothing in the house has changed "since God was a child," reflecting his perception of Betsy's home as antiquated and somewhat stifling. Nevertheless, he understands Angus's attitude, as "a dead parent is a tricky kind of ghost." This metaphor reflects Demon's own complex feelings regarding his mother and underscores the ongoing impact that grief has had on his life. 

Accompanied by Fast Forward in his expensive car, Demon feels that they are the "star attraction" of some parade. He compares Fast Forward, in a simile, to a "homecoming queen in her fluffy white dress," waving to the crowds from an open convertible. This simile underscores the attention and fanfare that Fast Forward, former quarterback of the local high school football team, continues to receive in Lee County, even though he has accomplished little since high school. The handsome Fast Forward receives particular attention from young women, who appear to move "up and down like fishing bobbers" when they see his Lariat drive down the street. Demon's language here emphasizes both the personal magnetism of Fast Forward and the prominent role that football plays in Lee County. Former players such as Fast Forward are treated like celebrities, and Demon hopes that his own status as a member of the team will help him overcome the shame and ignominy of his impoverished youth. 

After the homecoming parade, Dori takes Demon to her house, where she checks up on her terminally ill father, Vester, and, surprising Demon, reveals that she has fentanyl for them both to share. He describes her as holding the needle in her mouth "like a nurse giving booster shots." This simile suggests that Dori is experienced with abusing drugs, as she goes through the steps in a knowledgeable and steady manner. The simile is also situationally ironic, however, as Dori is not a health practitioner offering health care, but rather, a young addict who has fallen victim to the drug companies that target areas like Lee County. Rather than administering medicine, she introduces Demon to a dangerous drug that ultimately has profound and negative effects on his life. 

Demon, who has been raised in Lee County, has had little experience with cities, other than a few childhood trips to Knoxville. He retains, throughout the novel, a strong distaste for cities, which is reflected in the pointed language he uses here. He notes that the city appears "like a movie," a simile that suggests that Demon only ever sees cities in movies due to his own rural background. Using detailed imagery, he describes the "cloud-high buildings spiking up on the distance" and the "hundreds of people" who walk by, "hugging their coats around them, looking at their feet, walking fast." The imagery he uses here underscores what he considers to be the cold and impersonal anonymity of the city, where people mind their own business as they go about their tasks. Additionally, in a metaphor, he describes the "mountains of steel-beam construction," language that draws a distinct contrast between the mountainous Lee County and the heavily urbanized city. Despite all that he has experienced in his own hometown, Demon appreciates the presence of nature and sense of community that he associates with Lee County. 

Demon finds himself in the difficult position of caring for the severely addicted Dori despite his own dependence on opioids. Though many people have warned him that his relationship with Dori is mutually unhealthy, he cares for her deeply and is terrified of being alone again. After placing her, unconscious, in bed, he notes that she is curled in a fetal position and appears like a baby in the womb. His simile is apt, as Dori is child-like in many ways. After spending much of her childhood and teenage years caring dutifully for her father, she has limited education and experience. There is also a tragic sense of irony to this simile, as Dori has just miscarried her own unborn child, likely as a result of her drug use and poor health. Despite his own youth, Demon cares for Dori like a father, feeling that his “only job and purpose now” is to care for her. 

Reluctantly, Demon looks over at the body of the man who had once been his foster-brother and childhood hero. Claiming that, years later, he can still “see every goddamn line of it,” Demon describes Fast Forward’s gluteal muscles, or buttocks, as being “like a pair of onions.” He also uses a metaphor to describe Fast Forward's body to a “well-oiled machine.” Together, this simile and metaphor suggest that Fast Forward has taken great effort to maintain a high degree of physical fitness, even though his football career is far behind him. For Demon, Fast Forward’s physique further underscores the tragic wastefulness of the scene. Like many other characters who live in Lee County, Fast Forward was “eager to work” but found little opportunity to do so. His death, Demon suggests, is a "last layoff," a metaphor that draws a parallel between Fast Forward and the many other individuals in Appalachia who have few opportunities for legal employment.