Ella

Ella is a symbol of racism and hate. Ella is a symbol of racism because she is the only member of her family with dark black skin. The other members of the family are light-skinned Blacks. For that reason, and because Ella was an illegitimate child, Ella is hated by her family members.

Kite

The kite is a symbol of love. Nate senses Ella is sad one day when she visits him at the diner. He confirms that her family forgot her birthday. He gives her a hand-carved kite that he made as a gift. The gift is visible proof of how much Nate loves Ella.

The Burning Cross

The burning cross is a symbol of racism and hate. Members of the Ku Klux Klan place these crosses as a threat to Blacks they believe have stepped beyond their accepted boundaries. For instance, when Nate is...