Neil dream of him sailing away from Tahiti on an old, wooden ship, while being serenaded-or sung a lament for-by lovely dark-skinned women. The little African-American boy who visits the library daily to look at the book of Gauguin paintings of native women in Tahiti and Neil share much in common. Metaphor for a distant, unattainable goal This literal act of moving up and out is a metaphor for success as you can only make it out of Newark if and when you have enough money coming in regularly enough to afford living in a place like Short Hills. The Patimkins used to live there but when the clan patriarch struck it rich selling sinks and plumbing supplies they make an exodus to the affluent suburb of Short Hills. Neil’s family lives in the poor Jewish area of Newark, New Jersey. He, like the explorer, braves obstacles such as condescension and ridicule in order to savor the life that the rich experience and the sweet prize of being able to bed the lovely scion of the Patimkin family. Neil makes constant reference to Christopher Columbus because by his reckoning he too is a kind of "explorer of the unknown” but instead of mysterious far flung islands he is making a foray into the equally alien world of the affluent Jewish community of Short Hills. Metaphor for moving out of one’s comfort zone We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
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