The sun
The sun symbolizes Kamala's bright future. Kamala is a determined young graduate determined to succeed, and she arrives ahead of others at the law internship. Kamala says, "The sun shone brightly on the courthouse. The building stood apart on Lake Merritt, taller and more than other buildings nearby. From certain angles, it looked like an architectural marvel from foreign capital, with its granite base and a concrete tower rising to meet a golden rooftop." The sun's description and how it shines on the magnificent buildings reflect the future that awaits Kamala. Truth to this symbol, Kamala emerges successful, and she even serves as the attorney general of the United States of America.
Stunning Mosaics
The stunning mosaics allegorically represents the history of California. Kamala Recalls Earl Warren, one of the legend attorneys in the Alameda County District. In her memories, Kamala mentions the stunning mosaics symbolically to represent the history of California. Kamala says, “He was on my mind that morning as I walked past the stunning mosaics in the lobby that depict the early history of California.”
Innocent Bystander: Woman
The innocent bystander woman represents the guiltless victims of jail who are wrongly accused and jailed. It is quick to conclude that all prisoners are criminals, but that contradicts the reality. The bystander woman is wrongly arrested because she is found at the wrong place where the police are pursuing the illegal drug dealers. Kamala says, "I'll never forget the time my supervisor was working on a case involving a drug bust. The police had arrested several individuals in the raid, including an innocent bystander: a woman who had been at the wrong place at the wrong time and had been swept up in the dragnet.” However, Kamala tried to push for the release of this innocent woman, and luckily, she is released.
The Marriage between Kamala’s Parents
The marriage symbolizes the breakage of cultural norms to find self-purpose. Harris's father is Jamaican, and her mother, an Indian. Kamala’s parents meet in the United States and fall in love. Kamala’s grandparents back in India expect her mother to get back after her postgraduate studies to get married as traditionally planed. The narrator says, "My mother was expected to return to India after she completed her degree. Her parents had an arranged marriage, and it was assumed my mother would follow a similar path. But fate had other plans. She and my father met and fell in love at Berkley while participating in the civil rights movement." Consequently, the arranged marriage back at home never takes place.
Kamala's parents' divorce
The divorce between Kamala’s parents represents emotional immaturity. They got married when they were young without proper guidance and experience. Therefore, they could not withstand small failures in life. Kamala says, “I’ve often thought that had they been a little older, more emotionally mature, maybe the marriage would have survived.”
