Writer's Block

Both January and Gus suffer from writer's block. Their writer's block symbolizes that events are blocking their respective lives from moving forward. January's life is blocked at the beginning of the narrative because she finds that she can no longer trust the world that she has known all her life. Gus's life is blocked because he cannot keep his wife. He takes it personally as he has seen people stay with each other under bad circumstances. Therefore, he thinks that something is wrong with him. His feelings about himself block him from moving forward in his life and writing just as January's recent experiences contribute to her writer's block.

The Song " Everybody Hurts"

" Everybody Hurts" by REM is the song January hears coming from Gus's house during his party in the second chapter of the narrative. The song symbolizes that notion that everyone experiences pain...