Truitt’s Alleys

Truitt’s Alleys, the originally erected bowling alley and the first in Salford, symbolizes female agency and power as well as familial legacy. Bertha’s architectural design and her oversight of construction prove her agency from the start of the novel. Under her ownership, she uses her power to maintain a space for women to express themselves as individuals in Truitt’s Alleys. Later, Margaret’s sole ownership of Truitt’s Alleys carries on this legacy. Whether fortunate or otherwise, the characters’ life-changing experiences happen in the bowling alley. The Truitts’ chosen and biological family link them to the bowling alley, and sometimes bowling itself, for the rest of their lives.

Dreams

Dreams, the seeming interplay of subconscious and imagination, symbolize an unbound interpretation of reality and the relaying of messages. The dreams that those in the hospital report are later revealed to be...