An allegory of the world in itself
The entire novel is set on a ship traveling a long distance from one place to another. It can be seen as a world in itself filled with people from various parts of the world. The characters are archetypes of their backgrounds, countries they came from and the state of mind present there. German passengers represent the state of mind of the pre-war Germany and the rise of the National Socialism, the Americans represent the freedom of expression that is looked upon with contempt by the others etc. Therefore, it can be deduced that the conflicts between the groups show the conflicts of the world, example being Freytag who gets shunned from the Captain’s table for being married to a Jewish girl.
Albatross around the neck
In allusion to a well-known symbolic image, Jenny feels that she has an albatross around the neck in reference to her toxic relationship with David. She is unhappy and burdened in the relationship with David that drains her life-force, as if she was unknowingly punished to wear the bird she didn’t even shoot.
Taking away the colors
The long journey is an opportunity for Jenny to reflect upon her life. She realizes that in order to comfort and be with David she changes herself completely. Symbolic is the reference to the removal of colors both from her art and her clothes. She removed colors from her art, painting only in black, and from her clothes as well, wearing mostly black. This symbolized the toxicity and David literally draining happiness and life force out of her.
Religion
Religion is the main topic of discourse and the main fuel for hatred as portrayed in the novel. The group of Germans hate the Jew Lowenthal, and vice versa, and shun Freytag because of religion. In the background of it all there is a grotesque representation of religious healing in the form of a sick uncle abused by his nephew for money.
