Missing/Disfigured Limbs

Several of the Carville residents have missing fingers or limbs, and these are a symbol of the terrible disease that has wracked their bodies, perhaps, for decades. The fact that everyone can see the missing limbs as their first impressions of these residents makes it clear that they have leprosy. Initially, Neil is afraid to touch the residents, but he later gets past that fear.

The White Picket Fence

A white picket fence surrounded the area where inmates visited their families. The fence symbolized that Neil was no longer free to do as he pleased. When his children threw their ball over the fence, Neil could not cross the fence to retrieve it. This was very different from how he had lived his life up to that point, paying little attention to boundaries or rules.

Kiting Checks

Kiting checks is a symbol of Neil's...