The theme of this book is identity, all Esther really wanted to do was fit in. She imagined that there was something wrong with her, with others, with society, that she didn't want what others wanted. She didn't want to get married unlike all the other girls who got married because it was the norm. Esther didn't find it funny or understand why she would do it. The quote connects to identity because Esther wanted to be the same as everyone but she wasn't, she worked hard throughout school and work to be successful in life with or without a man. Esther's identity was that of a hard worker, an ambitious person, someone who has big ambitions. So when she started slowly drifting away from that identity, it pretty much ended up in the unknown for her. With the pressure of fitting in and being like everyone else, with the fact that she was somehow losing her identity, she panicked and tried to go everywhere, which ultimately took a toll on her mind and his body. 4.This passage had the simile “as dumb as a death's head”. The simile meant that the telephone was of absolutely no use to Esther. Since he couldn't/wouldn't call anyone he knew, giving his number over the phone was simply useless. Whoever could connect her to that phone couldn't because she couldn't. The multiple uses of a phone could do wonders but she couldn't bring herself to do it, the phone was just another useless thing in the room. The simile in this passage is “flat as a poster.” Esther uses this simile to say