Cookies

The cookies from Mary Wells symbolize a kind of rugged independence. When DJ is hired by Mary to do work on her garden, she sends out water and cookies for DJ. DJ accepts the water, but he will not accept the cookies. He sees them as a kind of handout. He believes that he is more than capable of caring for and feeding himself. Accepting a gift, no matter how freely given, would be like admitting defeat and admitting he could not take care of himself.

Food stamps

Food stamps symbolize misunderstanding. Betty and Luther, both disabled, receive food stamps. At the food store, a man looks down on them for eating better than he does while being on food stamps when he is not. The man does not know that Betty and Luther must walk home in the horrible heat, pushing their cart the whole...