Broken Hallway Mirror

The broken hallway mirror is a symbol of Alec’s shattered life. The mirror was broken when Alec became angry with Simon for not having scheduled his driving test. Simon was pushed into the mirror, causing it to shatter. Alec has made the mirror a symbol of the way he believes that he has destroyed his life. At first, he does not throw the mirror away because it still works, he can still see his distorted reflection in it. Later, when Alec finds Simon by the lake, he believes that he has repaired his relationship with his son. He thinks to himself “He had mended the fallen mirror. He had fixed it, he had fixed everything” (423).

Wooden Crates

The wooden crates are symbols of depravity. When Alec and Cooper find the wooden crates near the seashore and look at the dead animals inside those...