The Vicarage
The Vicarage is a symbol of holiness in the context of religious life. Lia’s father is a Vicar, a significant religious leader, and he raises his family in a church residence. Every time Lia is reminded to keep her body holy because it is the temple of Christ. In religious settings, Christians are keen on observing Christ's teachings, and Lia finds herself in this environment, which is both interesting and confusing at the same time. Consequently, Lia grows up feeling wary about her body because she is torn between satisfying physical body needs and spiritual needs.
The symbolism of love
The close bond between Lia and her daughter Iris symbolizes love. Iris is the only child of Lia and Harry because her mother could not have given birth to another child due to cancer. Iris grows close to her mother, and their love blossoms to the extent that she does not want her to die. Iris dedicates her entire life to making her mother comfortable in her last days. Lia is in pain, and her health situation is worsening. Iris uses paintings and poetry to comfort her mother, and she is ready to confront anybody trying to mock her mother because of the dark past's secrets that are coming to light slowly.
Humanity
Anne and Peter represent humanity when they bring Mathew to stay with the family. Mathew is looking forward to being ordained, and they are ready to offer him support unconditionally to ensure he succeeds in his ambitions. Mathew is treated well like a sibling Lia. Unfortunately, Peter discovers that her daughter and Mathew are having an illicit sexual affair. He decides to separate them by sending Lia abroad to study and finding an alternative for Mathew to continue pursuing his dreams.
