Food

From spaghetti with canned Parmesan to San Pellegrino, gin and tonics, and baklava, food recurs as a marker of class difference and emotional connection. Shared meals with Liv and Andre symbolize solidarity, while the abundance of the Savoy fruit trays reveals the gap between Anna’s modest means and her students’ wealth.

Books and Stories

References to Austen, Sassoon, Wharton, and National Geographic anchor Anna’s inner life. Literature shapes how she interprets her experiences as Anna and alternately sees herself as Lizzie Bennet (at the Savoy) or Lily Bart (when considering the Wilders’ offer). Books symbolize both aspiration and alienation, giving her frameworks to make sense of her uncertain path.

The black sequin dress

The dress that Anna borrows from Faye for the New Year’s Eve party symbolizes both transformation and dependence. On one hand, it allows her to slip into the fantasy world...