Train

The train is symbolic of separation. Although riding the train literally allows the Teacher to move between her home and the school, the train augments the separation between these two spheres. Indeed, when the Teacher boards the train, she feels as if she is in one country, and when she exits, she feels as if she is entering another. The train is thus symbolic of the segregation the Teacher enforces between her vocational and marital realms.

Cat

The husband's cat is symbolic of death. Throughout the short story, the elderly cat wanes. The cat's increasingly tenuous health mirrors the Teacher and husband's increasingly tenuous relationship. The cat therefore forebodes the end of their marriage. When the cat dies, the reader can infer that the couple's relationship will soon die.

Bea's Hair

Bea's hair is symbolic of care. When Bea's hair is unwashed and unkempt, the Teacher...