Dog and Cat

The Brettigans' dog and cat are symbols of enlightenment. Alma feels as if she has experienced a great inner change when, after her fainting episode, she becomes capable of communicating with her pets. Through the pets, she delivers information to her husband, as if from a divine source. The author uses the animals in order to create a commentary on belief, religiosity, and wisdom.

The Sun Collective

The Sun Collective is a symbol of manipulation. Although the group purports to be a humanitarian organization, interested in bettering the lives and circumstances of all lives, they quickly prove to have more nefarious intents. The Sun Collective manipulates its members into believing that they are the sole source of deliverance from suffering and purposelessness. The author uses the group to illustrate the ways in which activist groups might control the minds and hearts of unwitting citizens...