Ptolemy's Apartment

Ptolemy's apartment is a symbol of alienation. Ptolemy lives alone in a space that is cluttered with decades' worth of hoarded objects. The apartment is stuffed with boxes, belongings, and trash, none of which Ptolemy has touched in years. The space also reeks and is infested by a litany of different bugs. Whenever anyone enters the space, they remark on its uninhabitable atmosphere. The author uses the apartment to reify the profound nature of Ptolemy's isolation and alienation.

Radio

The radio that Ptolemy constantly keeps on is a symbol of reality. Because Ptolemy lives by himself and has little interaction with the world beyond his apartment, the radio grants him the illusion of connection and communication. Indeed, the news reports, the radio ads, and the classical music constantly blur with the narrator's descriptions of Ptolemy's present day reality. The sounds and voices emanating from the...