*3.5. Superordinate and Subthemes*

As is clear from participant descriptions, each of the participants projected unique images of their journey during lockdown and the pandemic. Tammy represented each challenge as a waterfall and being saved as a life raft. Amira's image of the challenges was being hit over the head with a log or being stopped and having to steer past the log and press on. Murphy's image included one waterfall at the beginning of the pandemic, followed by a river full of activities and symbols as her boat floated on. Ebere included herself and her children swimming in the river, sometimes in a boat and sometimes next to a computer screen, their constant companion during lockdown.

Tammy's psychological metaphor, expressed in the painting of the words about "changing the ending", included having the burden, responsibility, and the power to change serious challenges into positive endings. Amira's metaphor, manifested by the Yugoslavian flag, included maintaining one's core identity in the face of enormous change while allowing that change to open new opportunities and ways of seeing the world. Murphy's metaphor of the keys included the revelation of a multitude of new ways of identifying herself and of acting and doing in the world. Ebere's metaphor of her smartphone included having and being the power source to do what was necessary to deal with the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Despite their unique ways of depicting the pandemic and their unique concepts of themselves during the pandemic, the participants described many of the same themes. Four superordinate themes emerged from coding their statements. Each superordinate theme had subthemes that supported one of these superordinate themes. These superordinate and subthemes are described below.
