The Stairwell

The stairwell in the Hungarian apartment building symbolizes the narrow, shared spaces where private desire collides with public consequence. It is a routine passage between floors until the argument with the neighbor’s husband and the fatal fall transform it into a site of guilt and judgment. The stairwell’s concrete walls and metal rail create an atmosphere of confinement, turning a domestic structure into a place of irreversible change.

The Balcony

The balcony of the new flat symbolizes István’s early position as an observer rather than a participant. From this height he watches the square, classmates, and neighbors without joining them, which mirrors his detachment from ordinary teenage life. The balcony frames his view of the town and suggests that his connection to others will often be indirect and mediated by distance.

Railway Tracks

The railway tracks that separate neighborhoods in the...