The Pendant Necklace

The pendant necklace symbolizes a connection between the living and the dead. When the speaker compares herself to a character in a horror film who sees a portrait of her ancestor on the wall, she imagines that the character is wearing the same "gaudy pendant" necklace as the ancestor (12). In both the context of the imagined film and the poem itself, the pendant serves as an unexpected and discomfiting link between the deceased and the living.

The Portrait

The portrait on the wall symbolizes the spectral presence of the deceased. Just as the portrait of the "freaky ancestor" looms over the character in the fictional horror film, so does the memory of Jane follow the speaker around as family members recognize similarities between them (9).

Grandfather's Eyes

The eyes of the speaker's grandfather symbolize uncertainty. The speaker describes his eyes as "gelatinous blue," suggesting that...