The American Flag

The American flag symbolizes excessive nationalism in Ducks, Newburyport. The protagonist perceives the one or more flags that fly from each American home as emblems of conquest. She believes that these representations of her corrupt and troubled country are militaristic and thus inappropriate. Her lack of faith in American politics and culture leads her to question the loyalty other Americans maintain for their country, which they broadcast by prominently displaying American flags outside their homes.

The Burning, Floating House

The burning, floating house symbolizes impending doom in the novel. This bizarre emblem of apocalypse foreshadows the violent event that will forever tarnish domestic spaces for the protagonist and her family. The house itself alludes to the Christian apocalypse, which is characterized by both fire and flood. This burning, floating house thus suggests that the end of days is encroaching, specifically for the protagonist. Ellmann...