Red spot

The red spot that forms in Cyrus' eye over the course of his conversation with Gabe is a symbol of the pressures placed on Cyrus because of his racial and sexual identities, as well as the ways in which those pressures sometimes overwhelm Cyrus' ability to make good decisions for himself. As Gabe begins to insist to Cyrus that Cyrus' fixation on martyrdom and his family's heritage might serve as obstacles to Cyrus' efforts to rid himself of substance addiction, the red spot in Cyrus' eye continues to grow until it finally subsumes the entire cornea. The spreading quality of this red spot is clearly correlated with the ways in which Cyrus' anger at the world prevents him from listening to the advice of those who have his best interests at heart.

Falling asleep

For Cyrus, who suffers from insomnia, falling asleep serves as a...