Mines

The mines under the narrator’s house that cause the noises which wake the narrator in the night are symbolic of the social impact of racism. On the surface, it may appear that the problem of crime is being caused solely by people choosing to be criminals. However, the narrator, unlike the family, knows that the root of the problem is much deeper and is being caused by the cultural forces of racism which divide neighborhoods and force some people to live in poverty while others live in comfort. The causes of crime, like the mines, lie much deeper.

Bars

The bars that the family installs on their windows in order to prevent robberies are symbolic of the way the man and the wife lessen their own freedom in their attempts to protect themselves from crime. The bars are intended to keep out criminals but ironically...