Hello. I am a 11th grade student and I have just started reading Misery and am enjoying it so far. However, I am having a hard time understanding King's writing; the whole metaphor of "pilings" and the tide in the beginning of the book confuses me. Is it a way of describing Paul's pain as constant like piles of sand on the beach? Why did King choose to use the word "piling"? I would assume the metaphor would have some deeper meaning than just pain for him to use it so frequently. If anyone could help me out that would be great.