Anglican Church

Serena’s father was an Anglican Bishop. Her father was a remote figure who was emotionally unavailable to Serena. The image of the pious minister who stands alone at the altar is symbolic of the unattainable figure that her father was to her.

Reading/Literature

Real life was difficult for Serena. She lost herself in books and even said that she searched for herself in the characters in books. Her reading represented her need to find herself.

Math

Mathematics represented Serena’s passive rejection of the superiority of men. She was talented in math at a time when it was only men who could do well in the discipline. A beautiful blonde girl being a math whiz had to be confounding to others, especially men.

Shirley

Serena’s friend, Shirley, was everything that Serena was not. She was bold and savvy and opinionated and not...