Piano

The piano is symbolic of Phoebe’s lack of a real childhood: instead of enjoying herself and having a carefree youth, Phoebe spent her younger years engaged in disciplined, rigid study of the piano. Phoebe channels all of her time and emotions into practicing the piano so that, when she eventually quits, she finds herself with nothing else in her life that she can anchor herself to.

Gulag

The gulag in North Korea where John Leal claims to have been imprisoned is symbolic of the use of extreme circumstances to manipulate vulnerable people. In the gulag itself, John Leal claims to have witnessed people engaging in acts of violence and cruelty as a result of their desperation. Later, John Leal uses this knowledge in forming his cult, Jejah, in which he recruits emotionally vulnerable and desperate people and convinces them to engage in violent acts of...