Names

In the narrative, Emma has to decide whether she wants to be called Emma or Saylor. Gordon thinks that Emma is lucky because people call her by her first name. Jack lets Emma know that his name is Jack, not Jacky. Names in the narrative symbolize the identity of each of these people. They are so important that Emma decides to use both Emma and Saylor as both names define her.

Food

Food generally symbolizes communion with others in the narrative. It symbolizes the characters nourishing each other. Emma often starts her day communing with family members at breakfast. She eats breakfast with Nana and participates in the breakfast activities at Mimi’s. Nana has food waiting for Emma and her family when they arrive at The Tides. Nana unites the two sides of the family by having a dinner. Roo uses the Yum truck to...