Dead whale

The dead whale that appears outside of Evie's house in the days before her wedding represents, in the beginning of the novel, a possible bad omen about Evie's upcoming marriage. As the novel progresses, the dead whale will come to represent rebirth and renewal.

Mariana Trench

The deep underwater canyon Mariana Trench represents the uncertainty of knowing which direction one's life will go in. This symbol continues the novel's theme of using features of oceanography to represent human dilemmas.

Jellyfish balloon

A jellyfish balloon that Evie gets from the local aquarium represents how she deeply misses her mother. Evie puts eyeballs on the balloon and imagines that, from her house, it is looking out over the horizon for her mother to return.

Evie's swimsuit

The two-piece swimsuit that Evie wears on the Fourth of July represents her desire to be an adult, although she is...