The Dodge

The car is representative of the broken condition of the Dunlop family, as it is barely chugging along, while also serving as a symbol of hope for Eileen. Originally Eileen's father's car, she inherits it after his license is taken away while he is on a drunken bender. It has a broken exhaust, which leads to the car filling up with carbon monoxide unless the windows are open.

Eileen plans to make her getaway with the Dodge despite its failure to get her far. At the end of the novel, she ends up leaving it behind along with her father. The last vestiges of Eileen in X-ville are encapsulated in the Dodge, with her father's shoes still locked in the trunk and a bleeding Rita Polk inside.

Red Lipstick

Red lipstick is part of Eileen's death mask, her attempt to appear normal. Eileen always wears...