Bayonet

Pop's bayonet is a symbol of freedom. When Pop first procures the bayonet, Owen disdains its political implications. However, when Owen wants to go to DC with Alma, he steals the bayonet and sells it at a pawnshop to pay for his plane ticket. Although he knows he should feel guilty, he feels a sense of freedom and empowerment as a result of the sale. The bayonet grants him the ability to temporarily escape his reality in Kentucky.

Kentucky

Kentucky is a symbol of the past. It is not only the state where Owen grew up, but the place where he is living in the narrative present. By returning to Kentucky after leaving Colorado, Owen has made the decision to physically return to the environments, scenes, and people of his past. The place also constantly yanks Owen mentally and emotionally into the past. He often feels...