The Tapeworm

The tapeworm is a symbol of the lust Boyd feels for young girls. He always feels it twisting around in his stomach when he thinks of kidnapping a girl and bringing her onto his boat. Boyd, in return, is a symbol of evil. His presence in the novel is brief, but it serves to demonstrate that Isaiah’s mission is to be a sword of goodness with which evil can be vanquished.

The Bonfire

Calvin burns his possessions in the bonfire because Dr. Freeman’s self-help books suggests that to rid oneself of burnout, one must get rid of superficial attachments to objects. Calvin has too many things to burn at once, but he tries to symbolically cleanse himself of his possessions through the bonfire.

The Apartment

The apartment is a symbol of Marcus. After Marcus dies, Isaiah’s biggest fear is losing the apartment...