How does Liz Curtis Higgs use imagery in Bad Girls of the Bible?

Imagery:

"The tree that had been in the middle of everything yet obediently avoided—for how long we don't know—suddenly, that tree was it. The all-consuming, gotta-have-it thing. Like a child of Christmas past who put only one item on her wish list—cabbage Patch Doll, Tickle-Me Elmo, Beanie Baby—Eve had a fixation about that tree."

"Oh, it gives me shivers just to think of it!"