Skinner's Gun

The gun represents life for Skinner. Once back from war, he keeps the safety on. However, there are a few times throughout the novel that he pulls the safety off and ponders firing it. If he does, his life will be over because firing it would likely cause death for himself or for another. We see this at the end of the novel when he kills Jimmy and eventually himself. The gun has been fired. Skinner's life is over.

Skinner's Laptop

The laptop represents Skinner's inability and unwillingness to move on from the past. The book tells us that it is from his time in Afghanistan because it is old and full of sand. On the laptop, he watches videos of war, torture, and executions. He does not understand it, but his laptop contributes to his mental decline. It gives him free access to the...