Paris (Symbol)
Paris is known as a city of love, art and romance and - courtesy of its unique atmosphere – it attracts artistic and open- minded people like a magnet. That’s why April believes that immigration to Paris is going to be a wonderful, even the best idea they ever had. She wants them to go there, “to Paris, for good”, because that is the only one thing which can save them from sinking to the bottom of the dull and meaningless existence.
A cellophane bag (Allegory)
According to Frank, the whole idea of “taking off to Europe”, it is “like coming out of a cellophane bag”. Frank hasn’t challenged himself even once since the war and now he is going to tear that comfortable world apart and start a new life, in a new country, where everything is new and unusual. All of that give him “a terrific sense of life”.
A life (Motif)
Frank often asked himself, “what the hell kind of a life was that?” He had a job that was dull and pretty useless, a wife who despised him, children he never really wanted and bills to pay for too expensive house and what not. Frank was not the only one who asked this question. Almost all characters of the novel had that kind existential crisis which made their lives unbearable.
