How does the author use symbolism in the novel, Tomcat in Love?

One example of symbolism can be found in Thomas' ledger, which symbolizes Thomas’s sexual obsession with women. He keeps this meticulous account of description of women and his interactions with them. It is a visual representation of his abnormal compulsions and constant thoughts about the opposite sex. Thomas is constantly flirting with every woman with whom he interacts and must document every incident. The discovery of the ledger is what leads to the dissolution of his marriage with Lorna Sue. Even when he moves to an undisclosed tropical location with Mrs. Kooshof at the end of the novel, Thomas may not have a physical ledger, but keeps a mental one for himself in his mind.