Pregnancy

Mrs. Fletcher’s pregnancy symbolizes fear and uncertainty. At multiple points in the story, Mrs. Fletcher expresses trepidation regarding her pregnancy. She has not told her husband about the pregnancy, and she is considering aborting it. The reasons for her fear are ambiguous, and thus her fear seems to represent the general fear/uncertainty of life and responsibility.

Gossip

In the story, gossip symbolizes both communal tension and communal cohesion. In the hair salon, Leota and Mrs. Fletcher gossip to each other as a way of trading information about their lives and about the community. However, gossip also sometimes causes tension, such as when Leota gossips about Mrs. Fletcher’s pregnancy, thereby placing Mrs. Fletcher in an awkward position.

Freak Show

The ‘freak show’ symbolizes an aversion to outsiders and the unknown. When the traveling ‘freak show’ arrives in town, the townspeople react with a mixture...