Symbol: Birds
Let's just go ahead and say this straight up: in this book, birds represent freedom. Is it a coincidence that a book called Freedom is based around a small blue bird that migrates between North and...
Symbol: Cats/Katz
We're just going to mention a few things here and let you come to your own conclusions: Richard's last name is Katz. He's a predator. Cats are also predators. They eat birds. Katz doesn't eat birds...
Symbol: The Fiend of Athens
Here's an easy one: On their first real "date" back in college, Walter and Patty go see an old Greek movie called The Fiend of Athens. Here's how Patty remembers it going: [T]he plot of The Fiend o...
Symbol: Walter and the Coal Companies
There are two main plotlines involving Walter. In one, he enters into a relationship with someone, and that person betrays him and has an affair with someone else. In the other one, he enters into...
Imagery: 9/11
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 hang over this book just as they've hung over Americans' lives. The first reference to "the great national tragedy" (1.1.137) is right in the introductor...