Painting

The Berthe Morisot painting that Erica gives to the narrator is symbolic of expectation. Like many of the narrator's friends, Erica believes that the narrator will someday have children. The painting is a reification of this expectation, as Erica says the woman in the image looks the way the narrator would look if she had a baby.

Coins

The narrator's three coins are symbolic of randomness. Because the narrator feels so internally conflicted, she turns to the coins for answers. However, the more nonsensical the coins' responses to her philosophical and metaphysical questions become, the more frustrated the narrator feels. Ultimately, the coins convey how much of life is the result of chance, happenstance, and luck.

Knife

The knife that the narrator places near her mirror is symbolic of her internal struggle. The narrator uses the knife to visualize the demon she perceives to be inside...