Flowers

The floral arrangements Melania orders for her party symbolize agency. Because Melania feels a lack of control over her own life, she tries doing little things to assert her dominance and authority. Among these actions is her decision to order the flowers herself, from her own florist, and using her own money. Doing so affords Melania a sense of empowerment, which gradually fuels her ability to stand up to Donald, and her later decision to expose Ivanka's disloyalty.

Janelle

Janelle's character symbolizes desire. Though Melania is calculating about whom she shows her true feelings to, in the context of Janelle, she has trouble maintaining her usual composure. Though Janelle seemingly does not reciprocate Melania's feelings, her character allows Melania to imagine the possibilities of closeness and intimacy. The author also uses her presence in the story to illustrate and explore Melania's unexpressed longings for affection and...