Language
"Hinterlands" makes extensive use of metaphors. For instance, the story's wormhole is referred to as The Highway. From this metaphor, Gibson creates several other metaphors. The Highway's travelers are referred to as 'hitchhikers,' 'flies,' and 'hicks.' These words have a figurative rather than a literal meaning. The story's title is also a metaphor, comparing the known space to a backwoods area that is far from civilization. The destination at the end of the wormhole is figuratively 'the big city.'
Read more about this topic: Hinterlands (short Story)
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