How does the author use metaphor in the novel, Necessary Roughness?

The so-called Continental Divide between the westernmost parts of North America and the rest of the continent is a metaphorical representation of the "divide" that Chan feels between the life that was - a life defined by a degree of acceptance and success - and the life that he anticipates - a life defined by rejection and failure. The reference to the Continental Divide appears early in the narrative, as Chan and his family complete the first stage of their journey from Los Angeles to their new life in Minnesota.