Little Flower's Name

Little Flower’s name represents her innocence and delicacy. Flowers connote both of these things, and since Pretre names Little Flower, this shows that Pretre’s initial conception of Little Flower is that she is innocent and delicate. Additionally, Pretre's decision to give Little Flower this new name potentially represents an impulse to create a sense of ownership or objectification over her.

The Photograph of Little Flower

The photograph of Little Flower in the newspaper symbolizes the dehumanization of Little Flower. Little Flower’s picture is seen by many different families. Each family has a unique interpretation of the picture, but none of the families consider Little Flower’s opinions or individuality. This shows that the picture reduces Little Flower to a mere exhibit rather than a human being.

The Pessimistic Father

The pessimistic father represents negativity pervasive in human nature. While the rest...