Boots (Symbol)
Boots are symbol of wealth. According to Sophie Renaldo Brown, boots “automatically conveyed wealth,” because they “always cost so much.” She firmly believed that they were “not working-class footwear in New York City.” Also, “you had to invest a lot of time in breaking them in,” so “however strange they looked – reptilian or gold-cap-toes, bright purple with stacked heels – they were never a joke.” A woman in boots was a rare sight! It was as clear as a day that she wasn’t going to go grocery shopping in them.
Yancey (allegory)
Yancey is allegory of optimist. In spite of her old age, this dog doesn’t seem to remember that she is not a little puppy anymore and never will be it again. She thinks of “field, breeze, sticks, little scurrying animals.” She has already forgotten how she “got skunked” during one of her numerous walks around the field. She had to sleep in the garage that night, an unpleasant experience she would definitely forget in the morning. She also forgot about skunk and other dangers of the world that could wait for her outside the comfy house she lived in. Just like Yancey, people “forget the painful parts” and keep moving forward no matter what.
Song Across the Universe (motif)
“Across the Universe” by the Beatles – a song that Raleigh loves so much – can be considered the main motif of this short stories collection. The lyrics is as emotional and beautiful as life. Raleigh likes to sing these words, “words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup.” And it is true that the characters’ thoughts flow out like an endless stream. They open their hears to readers, they voice their worst fears, secret desires, the need for love and understanding. “They slither while they pass, they sleep away across the universe.” Every story is an embodiment of ambiguity of life.
