The Baby Party

The baby party symbolizes social decorum. While at the party, the adults not only carry themselves with measured restraint, but use their children as pawns for their own social games. When Ede pushes Billy, she disrupts the adults' civilized performance, and causes them to behave in unexpected ways.

Billy's Teddy-bear

Billy's teddy-bear symbolizes jealousy. When Ede sees the bear, she becomes insistent that she must have it, and yanks it away from him. Ede and Billy's tussle reveals their parents' jealous feelings towards one another. The wives are desperate to prove that they have something better than the other, and the truth of their envy erupts when their children begin fighting over the bear.

The Fight

The fight between John and Joe symbolizes performance. Not only is the fight staged on the Markeys' front lawn under the moonlight and in the glow of the...