What does Toby's Rifle represent?

The rifle becomes a symbol of safety, and protection. Toby makes a quest-like journey to find her rifle while the Waterless Flood still rages. The fact that she risks death suggests that the rifle is important. It is later used to scare off the Painballers and rescue Ren. Toby also uses it to kill the boar that will end up providing her food when she would otherwise have starved. The rifle comes to be a symbol of survival.