Meaning of Owen's Bowl

Late in the narrative, when Perina's troubled adopted son Victor destroys a bowl that had been given to Perina by Owen (his brother), it can be seen as representing the destruction of genuine connection between father and adopted son. This is because earlier in the narrative, Perina had described a moment relatively early in his relationship with his brother in which he (Perina) felt as though he actually, genuinely loved his brother. The destruction of what can be seen as a remnant, or reminder, of that love can therefore be seen as representing the destruction of the similar connection between Victor and Perina, as tenuous and fragile as that connection had been.