a tendril of hope

[alpacinou]

Does "tendril of hope" work when you want to say something/someone is a last ray of hope in a situation?

Is this okay?

He saw his aunt as a last tendril of hope he could clutch at. It was only her who could pull her out that ditch he was in.

 

[Pears In Juice]

Not a teacher

"Last tendril" works, but please make these changes:

It was only she who could pull him out of that ditch he was in.

Also, you could fix that metaphor. A "tendril" is not thought of as a weight-bearing object, like a rope -- something he could "clutch" so the aunt could use it to haul him out of a ditch. It's more something that has a chance to grow and flourish.

If you still want the aunt to haul him out of a ditch, I suggest "line" instead of tendril.

 

[alpacinou]

"Last tendril" works, but please make these changes:



Also, you could fix that metaphor. A "tendril" is not thought of as a weight-bearing object, like a rope -- something he could "clutch" so the aunt could use it to haul him out of a ditch. It's more something that has a chance to grow and flourish.

If you still want the aunt to haul him out of a ditch, I suggest "line" instead of tendril.

Based on your explanation, I've decided to use it differently. Does this work?

A tendril of hope had sprouted in a corner of her mind that she would one day see her family again.