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I don't have a problem with metaphors or finding meaning in them. I know there are times that writers have very specific reasons to pick certain words/items/descriptions/etc.
But the way it was done is school, every single phrase was expected to have a meaning.
I cannot recall the book we read, but it was some coming of age story. The example with the apple above is real. That apple had no significance, it was a quick one liner. Had maybe all of 6 or 7 words dedicated to it. The character was hungry, so he munched on an apple while waiting. The way that was going, I could find a meaning in every single phrase (why were the walls beige? Why were there a few clouds in the sky? Why did the boy say hello to his neighbour? Why was it warm outside? Why did the door open inwards?) It can go on forever, and I think we can agree no writer is going to have a meaning in every single phrase.
I'm fine with finding a meaning when there is one, I'm fine with someone pointing out something that I missed and accepting it, but that was too much for me. The idea of metaphors was simply abused that time.
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