The Doll's House (BookRags)

What does the lamp symbolise in the story?

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The little lifelike lamp that sits on the dining table in the doll's house is a symbol of innocence. Kezia, the youngest Burnell, is distinguished from her family because she notices the beauty of the little lamp while her older sister Isabel has no interest in the lamp, valuing the house mostly for how the house can extend her social privilege. While boasting at school, Isabel neglects to mention the lamp, prompting Kezia to attempt to get her to make a bigger deal about the lamp so her audience understands how exquisite it is. At the end of the story, Else Kelvey tells her sister Lil that "I seen the little lamp," a line that suggests she heard Kezia talking about the lamp and similarly zeroed in on it when they finally got to see the doll's house. Appreciating the little lamp establishes a connection of innocence between Kezia and Else, who are the only characters in the story who do not understand why they are meant to follow Kezia's mother's prejudiced order not to speak to each other.