What does よう mean in this sentence?

Question

My difficulty comes from the last line. I realize that {{JP:かきむしる}} means something like "to scratch off" and that {{JP:おさえる}} means something like "to seize/grab hold of." I know that the first verb is modifying the {{JP:よう}} but unless the reading "I grabbed the scratched off scab on my chest" is correct (which is what I get from looking up the meaning of {{JP:よう}} ) then I'm stumped. Could anyone illuminate it for me please?

「どうなってんの？」「何だよ、これ」

まったくだ。何だよ、これ。なんでこんな場所に。なんで？ いつから？

かきむしるように胸を押さえる。

Answer 1

かきむしるように胸を押さえる

It means "(I) press (my) chest as if / like scratching it".

The ように here means "as if / like". Similar to みたいに / まるで～ように / ～かのように.

Answer 2

ように　As if. かきむしるように胸を押さえる。 He put his hands on his chest as if scratching it. Another example is 狂ったように叫んだ。　He Scremed as if he was crazy.

「どうなんってんの？」「何だよ、これ」 まったくだ。何だよ、これ。なんでこんな場所に。なんで？ いつから？ So they find something strenge, not sure what it is, No sure where it comes from. I think because of the confusion, He put his hands on his chest as if scratching it. Expression of his anguish. Normally we scratch our head, but this person is scratching his chest.