Grapefruit Box
Eleanor’s family receive a box containing fruits from her uncle every Christmas and the kids usually fight over who was going to keep the box. The box is sturdy and since all the kids share a single room, there is not much privacy. The makeup and comics she receives from Park and his mother is something she would not share with anyone, and is therefore kept in that box. The box thus serves as a place for Eleanor to keep her dear belongings and thus is a symbol for her privacy.
Batteries
Eleanor has a tape recorder but no batteries, so when she receives a tape and batteries from Park, she is very careful of not using up the batteries as that would leave her wanting for more. For Park, the batteries are simply an item, for Eleanor the batteries are a luxury as she doesn’t have any money to afford them. This is a symbol for the things someone with privilege takes for granted.
Comics
Park is a huge fan of comics and like to read them during bus rides to school. Eleanor sits next to him and begins to develop an interest in the comic characters while reading over Park’s shoulder. They begin to connect with comics and the communication gap they have is reduced. The comics thus act as a medium for them to share thoughts.
Makeup
Makeup for Eleanor and Park are things that make them what they are not. While Eleanor doesn’t like to pretend to be someone she’s not, Park wants to fit in with people around him as he feels like an outsider with his Asian features. Park also has issues with his father over his feminine features. He applies makeup as a rebellious act, which angers his father. So, while makeup for Eleanor is a mask that hides her true self, for Eleanor it’s an expression of his inner feelings.
Eleanor’s bathroom door
Ritchie, being the dominant male in his house, decides the terms for everyone else. Since their house has only one bathroom, Ritchie decides to express his dominance by taking the door off from the bathroom. Thus, no one in the bathroom would have any privacy.
