Jackie's barrels of apples

The barrels of apples that Jackie receives from his uncle in Chapter 10 represent his transition into adulthood. These particular apples are destined to be made into brandy, which means that they will be transformed from innocent fruit into something illicit and more potent than they were before. Like the Biblical apple, they are a source of temptation, in this case Jackie’s temptation to deceive his mother and break the law for the sake of financial gains. The apples are also associated with Jackie’s nascent sexuality, in that he pairs up with his childhood playmate Hannah Anderton in order to transport them, and finds himself enjoying her company more than he had expected, flirting with her, and wishing to impress her.

Medora's pipe

Medora uses her pipe as a comforting escape from the world. She associates it with her mother, who used...