Narrator's house

The narrator describes various aspects of her house frequently, usually in ways that symbolically correspond to the theme of loss, as the house is beginning to fall into a state of disrepair. It also harbors significance to the narrator and Percy's marriage, as Percy bought the house with his ex-girlfriend, and the narrator occasionally finds evidence of Percy's previous relationship lying around, such as photographs and the ex-girlfriend's dollhouse. There are several cracks in the floors and ceilings of the house caused by the vibrations of the train that runs through Camden. In addition to the chicken coop, there is a dying sugar maple tree in the backyard that symbolizes loss. The narrator explains, "I love this house for its stalwart good looks and its determination to be worth something here or, rather, our determination that it be worth as much here as anywhere" (59). At the end...