Don McKay uses metaphor as a method of conveying description, tone and emotion to his reader. In his collection Camber, McKay uses metaphor to convey his meaning to the reader via pop-culture reference, cultural illusion, and symbolic imagery.

In American Icon: Fitzgerald's The great Gatsby in critical and cultural context, Beuka attempts to trace the novel through its history as the titular "American Icon" and its acceptance into the canon as such, focussing heavily on its reception throughout its early print run from 1925 until its reception at time of publication.

"I’m thirty,” I said. “I’m five years too old to lie to myself and call it honor." It is my favorite line from the novel, and could I have written 1000 words on that alone I would have.