AIDS

The acronym AIDS symbolizes a disease that frightens people. Marty dies of AIDS, and Angela becomes so afraid of the disease that she refuses to eat and cleans obsessively. June uses that fear at one point to make John-John and Buzz leave Ziggy alone by saying she has AIDS and will infect them. The stigma of having AIDS during this time means that June is tormented by kids in the neighborhood.

Jenny's Necklace

Jenny gives Ziggy a necklace when she visits only for a short time to do her laundry, and this is a symbol of her effort to smooth over her mistake. Ziggy is heartbroken that her visit was so brief and that she refuses to let him come home and Nana Jean is critical of Jenny's thoughtlessness. The necklace becomes a symbol that Ziggy understands the dynamics of their relationship better than Jenny.

Gloves, Bleach, and Scrubbing Brushes