The Door

The door is the central symbol in the novel. It represents Emerence’s secretiveness and all the things in her life that she tries to hide from others. This physical door keeps the public from knowing that she has nine cats living in her apartment, which is seven more than she is allowed. The door keeps the cats safe from outside dangers just like the door that Emerence uses to guard her emotions as she attempts to keep herself safe from the outside world.

A Sequined Evening Dress

This sequined evening dress is a symbol of Emerence’s hatred for organized religion. Even though she lives her life as a saint, Emerence refuses to attend services and often makes fun of the narrator for doing so. She blames her dislike for organized religion on an aid package to the people of the community from which...