Bonnie

Jamie's rescued dog, Bonnie, is the most animated symbol of the novel. Besides being Jamie's comfort, she becomes something of a friend to him. As his companion, she is important to the novel through her relationship to Jamie and because she was Louis's idea. He decided to buy Jamie a dog in order to give him a friend away from home. In this way, Bonnie represents both Louis's drive to make Jamie feel at home and Jamie's ability to give a home to another being. Since he himself is in a troubling transitory period, his ability to provide and care for Bonnie gives him a sense of comfort and control.

Baseball Mit

After watching a softball game with Louis, Addie, and Ruth, Jamie gets a baseball mitt from Louis. Again, Louis tries to comfort Jamie, but he does so with the a symbol of the American...