The House

The narrator’s childhood house symbolizes nostalgia and memory. The narrator’s fixation on her childhood home implies that she holds a certain amount of adoration for her childhood life in Durham, Ontario. In addition, Mrs. Netterfield may have some childhood nostalgia for the same house.

Corporal Punishment

Corporal punishment symbolizes childhood pain. While the narrator appears to look fondly upon many aspects of her childhood, she appears to still be somewhat traumatized by the beatings that her father gave her in accordance with the customs of the time.

Golf

Golf symbolizes socioeconomic ambition. The narrator recalls that her parents aspired to a certain socioeconomic status that would afford them leisure and financial comfort. The narrator’s parents viewed golf as the signature recreation of people in such a category.

The Furs

The furs symbolize disappointment. The narrator’s parents hoped to become wealthy by...