It is not until you carefully analyze the story "The Price of Eggs in China", that you are able to see that the author creates a very interesting connection. One of the definitions of a metaphor is a figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity. In the story the author creates a connection which relates to Dean by comparing the old, lavish wood he used before, to that of the simpler, less expensive wood he utilized after the fire. A metaphor is created between Dean's change in the type of wood he used and the internal character transformation towards Caroline.
The author uses a number of very descriptive passages throughout the beginning of the story, in order to give the reader underlying details about the story. The use of the pristine, expensive and rare wood in the making of the chairs can be related to Dean's personality. …