Natural and Seasonal Imagery
The events of the novel unfold over the course of late summer to Christmas, 2022. Rooney grounds the book in seasonal imagery that also reflects the emotional states of the characters. Autumn, for instance, is a time of change. While reminiscing on her years of friendship with Anna, Margaret notices a "single sycamore leaf of rich yellow colour" drifting in front of her (Chapter 4). More leaves of "red, brown, have been lifted by the wind and left to settle" on the gutter. The vibrant colors reinforce Margaret's perception of how "the years accumulate in others."
In another example of nature reflecting emotion, Peter often takes walks early in the morning or late at night when the cold darkness mirrors his inner state. He often staves off suicidal ideation during these walks.
Youth
Peter idealizes the images of youth he sees at the local college because his own bygone university days were the best of his life. The reason for this was his relationship with Sylvia. Everything went downhill for Peter after their breakup, and so witnessing the young adults in the prime of their lives brings back memories. Now an adult, he walks past the "scenery of old romances, drunken revelries...Mixing memory and desire. Dark remembered walkways. Graveyard of youth (Chapter 1). Here, the word "graveyard" conveys an ending.
Water Imagery
Water imagery floods the novel in the form of swimming, showers, rain, and tears. Often, it represents an overflow of emotion for the characters. For example, Sylvia's "cold angry tears" spill over after an intimate moment with Peter breaks through the defenses she has enacted over the years (Chapter 2). For Margaret and Ivan, water imagery also illustrates their growing bond. They spontaneously decide to swim in the ocean, an exhilarating experience immersing themselves together in "the dark fragmented sea surface grey-green and the sky above grey-white" (Chapter 8). Ivan asked if it was dangerous for Margaret's sake, demonstrating his chivalry. Water imagery also occurs during Margaret's post-divorce rumination as she seeks comfort from Ivan (Chapter 4). In this case, her tears also bring them closer and contribute to Ivan's sense of growth as a person: specifically as a man capable of emotionally supporting a woman.
Ivan was not always so capable of being a pillar of support for others. Both he and Peter painfully recall an instance after Sylvia's accident in which Peter, "with tears running down his face," openly shared about his fear and not having anyone to talk to (Chapter 14). Instead of offering solace, Ivan "just turned around silently and went back up to bed." This moment cemented the resentment between them for years afterward.
Sensory and Corporeal Imagery
Rooney frequently writes about physical sensations in Intermezzo. These include illness, touch, sex, pain, and hunger. For example, Sylvia describes her chronic pain in a clinical and detached tone, showing how she had to separate her emotions from her physical state in order to function. On a different note, Peter often feels bodily discomfort resulting from hangovers, nausea, and exhaustion. This reflects both his painful nostalgia at the life he could have had and his inner moral turmoil about dating two women.
Peter's relationship with Naomi satiates him in a way that his current dynamic with Sylvia generally does not. He comments on Naomi's appetite for life in "the way her body luxuriates in tactility," which Peter deeply appreciates in her (Chapter 6). From the way she eats to how she makes love, Peter wishes to protect her wild freedom from any force that conspires against her.
Ivan and Margaret's relationship is also portrayed during scenes of heightened physical sensations and intimacy. This is the first time Ivan falls in love, and for Margaret, it is the first time in her life that she pursues an authentic desire. This enlivens them both, increasing their sense of vigor and presence. Margaret also battles a sense of dread at the possible social consequences. However, she chooses to "embody" the kind of woman that Ivan desires (Chapter 2). In other words, she incorporates Ivan's image of her into her own life.
Peter and Margaret each, in their own way, articulate how profoundly art and culture move them. Margaret works as a program director at a community arts center, a job she loves and feels grateful to have. While attending a piano concert, Margaret relishes the collective experience of "hearing and listening together, following together the almost too quick bright brilliant passage of melody, dispersing and vanishing in the air" (Chapter 12). Although this is only an hour in their lives, it is moments like these that motivate Margaret and shape her choices. Peter, on the other hand, includes a social class analysis when considering how he relates to art. He believes that "beauty, culture...can't be bought" (Chapter 9). He identifies as a "pretty cultured man...something of a connoisseur" (Chapter 17). Peter's attachment to art and culture give him a structured way to feel deeply without losing control.
