Casper, “Casper”

In the story “Casper,” the taxidermied albino monkey (whom the central characters name Casper) symbolizes interpersonal attachment. Each of the characters reacts to Casper in accordance with their own personalities, but each of their reactions relates to Casper.

Retiling, “How to Retile Your Bathroom…”

In “How to Retile Your Bathroom,” retiling symbolizes perseverance in the face of adversity. The main character attempts to retile her bathroom, despite her lack of experience or know-how. Although her failure in this task parallels her hardships in other areas of her life, her effort is not necessarily without value.

Powers, “A Few Normal Things…”

The supernatural powers in “A Few Natural Things…” symbolize women’s desire for security in the face of everyday threats. Similar to “We Handle It,” this story can be read as a fantasy of female empowerment in the face of tragically real patterns of harassment...