The devil

The “devil” that M encounters on a train symbolizes all the evil in the world that she feels herself to be threatened by (1). He embodies immorality, with M making no differentiation between his ugly behavior and his repulsive appearance. Her horror over his inescapable stench, dirty teeth and unfamiliar language suggest a snobbish fear of strangers invading and contaminating her personal space. Her perception of him picking her out for mockery, and abusing a girl in his care, make him specifically representative of misogyny, foreshadowing the way that L will torment and humiliate her. At the same time, as the harbinger of a mental health crisis at a crossroads in her life, the devil symbolizes not just external threats but M’s tendency to torment herself. The train journey is symbolic of her transitional state.

The potatoes

The potatoes that M and Tony store in...