Pimple

In "Manifest," the pimple on the narrator's face is symbolic of fear. As soon as the pimple emerges, the narrator becomes unsettled. It is her first skin blemish of this kind, and thus feels foreign and invasive. Around the same time that the pimple appears, the narrator's mom starts calling her Agnes. At this point, the narrator begins to question who she is.

Breast Milk

In "Breastmilk," the narrator's breast milk is symbolic of strength. The narrator feels like a failure when she cannot produce milk for her newborn son. She sees breastfeeding as an innate sign of maternal power. Therefore, she does not feel strong and capable until she works with the lactation specialist and begins producing milk.

Madame Oni's House

In "The Hollow," Madame Oni's house is symbolic of the past. Throughout the short story, Madame Oni tells her designer Arit about all of...