The symbolism of death and grief
The cemetery where Howard lives in Italy symbolizes death and grief. When Lina arrives in Italy and meets Howard, she is shocked to learn that he works in the cemetery, and she immediately remembers the grief of her dying mother back home. Lina leaves Howard in the cemetery and goes to live elsewhere in Italy to avoid the sad memories of her mother.
The Journal
The journal symbolizes Hadley's secrets. While in Italy, Lina reads her mother's journal to uncover the truth, and she learns heartbreaking secrets about her mother. For instance, Lina learns that her mother had many lovers while she was in Italy. The most disturbing secret is that Lina will hardly know her biological father. Instead, Hadley directs Lina to meet Howard, whom she knows is not the biological father of Hadley.
Symbolism of mysteriousness
In the novel, the violets given to Lina by Sonia symbolize mysteriousness. Sonia hands Lina Hadley's pot of violets containing Hadley's favorite flowers, but she does not know what they mean. However, the violets denote the unknown world that Lina is about to explore. The reality hits Lina hard after reading the journal fails to locate her biological father. At last, Lina learns to live one day at a time because she does not know what the future holds.
