The Velvet Cape

Brother Jero’s velvet cape, which he purchases using money borrowed from Amope, symbolizes his attachment to and reliance on material goods, as well as his tendency to put himself before others. The velvet cape also represents the fact that Jero’s “Brotherhood” is founded more upon spectacle and performance than spiritual substance. Rather than improving his speech style or studying from the Bible, Jero seeks to demonstrate his superiority by adopting a flashier, more ostentatious dress style than his competitors.

Chume's Bicycle

Chume’s bicycle is a potent symbol of his middling class status and his desire for upward mobility. In his fiery, impromptu speech to the congregation, Chume rants about those who walk getting bicycles, and those with bicycles getting cars. Chume’s bicycle is thus a symbol of what he attained so far (a bicycle and a certain lower middle class...