The Pool

The pool symbolizes the sense of transgression and adventure that is the basis for Beto and the protagonist’s friendship. The protagonist recalls how he and Beto used to sneak into the public pool after hours and swim about with the other teenage trespassers.

College

College symbolizes prospects for the future. The protagonist does not attend college, but Beto does, and the protagonist views this as a separation between himself and Beto in terms of future potential. The protagonist fears that he will have no significant future prospects without postsecondary education.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality symbolizes Beto’s identity and the protagonist’s rejection thereof. The protagonist and Beto used to be good friends, but after the protagonist discovered that Beto was a homosexual, the protagonist eventually distanced himself from Beto.

TV News

TV news symbolizes the somewhat dysfunctional relationship between the protagonist and his mother. The...