What metaphors are used in In the Castle of My Skin by George Lamming?

Coins are important for a number of reasons in the novel. First, they symbolize
economics. The desire for wealth is a prominent motivator for the characters, thus the coin gives the people a tangible item for which to strive and struggle. On a metaphoric level, the coin represents the binaries in the novel. The two sides of the coin are symbolic of the villagers and the landlords, slavery and freedom, and wealth and destruction.