Greyhound Bus

The Greyhound bus symbolizes disorientation and a lack of personal rootedness. After Jamie leaves her husband, she and her young children a Greyhound bus heading east. She originally plans to move in with her sister-in-law in Pennsylvania, but after meeting Bill on the bus, she decides to pursue a relationship with him, as it appears to her to be a chance at interpersonal connection.

Drugs and Alcohol

Drugs and alcohol symbolize a loss of person control. Throughout the novel, several characters abuse these substances. Bill is an alcoholic, Jamie ingests drugs and alcohol whenever possible, and Burris is addicted to heroin. The influences of these substances reduce the characters’ abilities to make good judgments, and substance abuse contributes to their respective personal misfortunes.

Rape

Rape symbolizes the dangers of isolation and inexperience. When Jamie arrives in Chicago to look for Bill, she is alone except...