Scranton

Scranton's character is symbolic of alienation. Although the narrator romanticizes and envies Scranton's isolation, Scranton is suffering. He has been rejected by society and struggles to survive as a result. The author uses his character to expose the symptoms of class inequality.

Tourist Photos

The photos that the tourists take of Scranton are symbolic of celebrity. The narrator is enamored by these dynamics, because he wants the attention that Scranton has. To the narrator, the photos are evidence of Scranton's worth and cultural cache.

Scranton's Photos

The photos that Scranton shows the narrator in his apartment are symbolic of illusion. The narrator is disappointed when he realizes the images have been torn from magazines and newspapers, and were not taken by Scranton or his intimates. They therefore reveal the illusionary world that Scranton has had to occupy in order to withstand the ills of his reality...