Headstones

The headstones are symbols of death and grief. When Lina arrives in Florence, she is shocked to discover that Howard lives in the middle of a cemetery. No one had mentioned to her that his house was on the grounds of a World War II Memorial for soldiers killed in Italy.

The Journal

The journal is a symbol of secrets and parallels. Lina reads the journal that Hadley kept while she was in Italy with the hopes of learning the truth about her mother’s relationship with Howard. The journal also highlights both similarities in Lina and Hadley’s time in Italy as well as the differences in their visits.

Violets

Violets symbolize the unknown. When Sonia gives Lina a pot of violets, she tells Lina that they were Hadley’s favorite flower, a detail of which Lina was unaware. Based on her lack of knowledge...