Symbol for lack of control
Conrad had to deal with issues regarding control in his life. Conrad’s feelings of anxiety were the result of his desire to control his environment but because he failed to do that his feeling of fear only increased. In the first chapter, Conrad sees a strange rash on his face, something that no one was able to diagnose. The presence of the rash is important because it symbolizes Conrad’s lack of control. It did not matter how hard he tried to get rid of the rash, it always seemed impossible and in a similar way he was unable to get rid of his feelings of anxiety.
Safe space
In the novel, there are various safe spaces in which Conrad feels safe and one of those spaces is his doctor’s office. In his office, Conrad does not feel the need to pretend to be someone he is not and feels comfortable enough to admit that he had various problems he needs to deal with. He does not feel judged or pressured to act in a certain way and that makes him feel comfortable. Thus, the office is used here as a metaphor for a safe space, a place where Conrad can face his problems and work on ways to solve them.
Tell a joke
A common motif in the novel is the idea that Conrad uses humor to deal with the painful things in his past. This type of coping mechanism was also suggested to him by his doctor who advices him to go with the things that make him laugh. While this type of behavior is beneficial for him, it creates tension with other characters who do not agree with his method of dealing with things and who fell slightly offended by the fact that he seems to want to avoid the painful things in life rather than facing them with courage.
Symbol for the unconscious mind
In the ninth chapter, Conrad has a dream in which he walks along a beautiful beach. During his trek, he sees a tunnel and he decides to go through it and explore it. However, Conrad gets lost in the tunnel and he cannot find his way out. Even worst, the tunnel seems to close on him and he feels trapped in it. The tunnel is an important element that appears frequently in various work of fiction and the vast majority of cases it is used to symbolize a person’s mind. Conrad feels lost and trapped in his mind and no one can help him because the struggle he faces is an internal one.
Social status
Beth is the type of person who would like to keep her son’s illness a secret. Because of this, she tries to avoid every discussion that centers on him or his brief disappearance and decides to focus on anything else but that. Beth appears to be ashamed that her son is in therapy but not the same thing applies to Cal. In an effort to make Beth feel better about their situation, Cal tries to convince her that being able to go to therapy is a social status and should be seen as such. Cal insists that only those who have a good financial situation can afford to get therapy and thus Beth should not be ashamed, but rather proud that they have enough money to afford a therapist for their son.