The Boy in the Wallpaper

The boy in the wallpaper symbolizes the Kinsellas' grief regarding their child's premature and tragic death. The main character spots a boy on the wallpaper in the room where she sleeps, looking "happy," but she also notes how some part of her feels sorry for "every version of him" (24). He stands off in the distance, among trains that have no tracks. The main character notices this and is moved by it in ways that she doesn't know how to explain.

Gooseberries

Gooseberries symbolize the domestic life that Mrs. Kinsella has built up around herself almost like a shield in the wake of her son's death. In one pivotal emotional moment, she experiences a trigger that reminds her of her son's death, but she takes care to continue picking gooseberries from the colander before she allows herself to leave the room and cry...