Fat-free yogurt

The fat-free yogurt that Eliana eats for breakfast on the first day of school symbolizes the difficult relationship between mother and daughter. Eliana struggles with feelings of inadequacy for her weight that are exacerbated by her mother’s close attention to weight loss. The yogurt also highlights the differences in parenting styles between Eliana’s parents because her father is content to make her nutritious meals, while not focusing on calorie counting or steering her towards slimming options.

Pool

Eliana feels comfortable and free when she is alone in her pool because it simulates the feeling of being weightless. Eliana struggles to recreate this feeling in other areas of her life because she is constantly subjected to the judgments and criticisms of others. As Eliana grows more comfortable with her body and less willing to accept others’ input on her sense of self, she practices...