The Legos

The Legos symbolize Wallace's effort to cope with Jermaine's death and Yvonne's desire to help him through the grieving process. The Legos take on several other symbolic meanings over the course of the novel. They symbolize a way of coping and communicating for Rose, who begins to learn to talk to Wallace while they are building their cities together. They also symbolize Wallace's hope for the future when Mr. Tuttle invites Wallace to build something at Tuttle's Toy Emporium. Wallace says he had hoped that he might somehow make a living with his art, and Mr. Tuttle's interest makes it clear that Wallace's dreams are not useless.

Jermaine's Bed

Jermaine's bed symbolizes Jermaine's absence. The empty bed remains in Wallace's bedroom until Mr. Ali helps him realize that moving the bed will help him cope with Jermaine's death without forgetting Jermaine's memory. When Wallace and...