What metaphors are used in Diane Arbus: A Biography by Patricia Bosworth?

Much of the narrative can be a metaphor for mental illness. Mental illness is often more debilitating than many physical impairments or diseases, because it can render one unable to function productively. The biography of Diane Arbus is as much a study of the effects of mental illness as it is the story of a talented photographer who significantly influenced her art form. In the case of Diane, the diagnosis was depression, a condition which can manifest itself in inertia, fatigue, listlessness and feelings of inadequacy.