The Invisible Heart
The Invisible Heart is symbolic of people's compassion and their conflict between their own self-interests and the interests of those around them. Nancy Folbre uses the invisible heart as a framing device for the core question of her book: how does a society successfully balance care for others for their own self interests while still maintaining economic viability?
The Dollar
In the book, the dollar is symbolic of human self-interest, greed, care for others, and economics policy as a whole. As an economist, Folbre's job entails discussing the dollar, its impact on society, and the policy that the government makes.
Capitalism
Capitalism is symbolic of prosperity and success; however, Folbre uses capitalism as a symbol of some of the issues the U.S. faces, issues which she discusses in The Invisible Heart.
The importance and power of feminism
Folbre's book is an allegory for the importance and power of feminism. Folbre is a well-known feminist who infuses her viewpoints into her work. In the book, she argues that, in order for the economy to be successful, women ought to be empowered feminists who balance altruism and self-interests in order to be successful people who are integral parts in a successful economy.
