The Silk Umbrella

The silk umbrella represents the mother and daughter’s care for and enjoyment of luxury. In a scene on page 665, the mother and daughter are standing in the heavy rain after being duped by the old man, but they have solace from the rain under their new silk umbrella. This symbolizes the comfort they feel from ownership of luxury goods.

The Whiskey

The whiskey represents the old man’s self-destructive nature. When he is first introduced into the story, the old man is presented as helpless and needing money to get home. Therefore, when the reader learns that the old man used the money to buy whiskey, the reader realizes that the man would rather satisfy his base pleasures, like the need for alcohol, than have long term security.

The Old Man's Moustache

The moustache represents the old man’s conniving nature. The image...