Moths
Moths are frequently encountered in the novel because of the location and to punctuate certain key events in the story. Often, moths are associated with the supernatural or the attraction towards something potentially dangerous as in the saying “like a moth drawn to a flame.” True enough these insects appear anytime anything other worldly and typically accompany Osceola as she carries out her séances as she delves deeper and deeper into the occult. Moths appear once more when Osceola and her younger sister Ava explore the derelict barge, the final resting place of Louis Thanksgiving, a ghost that she would later on elope with to disastrous results.
Alligators
These fierce aquatic predators are one half of the major attractions of Swamplandia as well as a major component of the Bigtree collective identity as they are a family known for their skill in handling these monstrous reptiles. These gigantic reptiles are symbolic of the Bigtree family. Like them, the members of the family are strong and independent, but are powerless against the forces of progress and the death of Seth, the family ‘gator, is symbolic that their way of life has gone exactly the way Seth has…
The World of Darkness
The gaudy, horror-themed amusement park is the in-novel symbol for the relentless march of urbanization and commercialization. The World of Darkness effectively also becomes a kind of twisted mirror that the Bigtree family members use to view themselves. Compared to the hype generated by the park-goers, sheer size, and overall novelty of the park, Swamplandia, and by extension the Bigtree family, looks exactly like what they see themselves to be, a crumbling, decrepit, rural attraction that has already lost its relevance and appeal.
“The Spiritist’s Telegraph”
The discovery of the book symbolizes the start of Osceola’s obsession with séances and the occult; conversely it may also be seen as the start of her sanity's unraveling.
Heart-Shaped Bottle of Perfume
Hilola Bigtree made use of this perfume when she was living, and the fragrance of her perfume is one of the few precious mementoes her children have of her. It is a poignant reminder of happier times for them and their means of connecting with the departed Hilola that does not require them to resort to necromancy.
