The Strait of Gibraltar (Symbol)
The Strait of Gibraltar is a symbol of an invisible line between two different worlds—a prosperous one and a poor one. The crossing takes thirty minutes if the weather is good, but it seems to stretch forever, for the countries that are divided by the Strait of Gibraltar are extremely different. The Spanish side could promise “the job, the car, the house” (1), everything one could dream about, but those fourteen kilometers were separated by not just two countries but two universes.
Silkworm (Symbol)
As a child, Faten tried to keep silkworms alive, but "they died no matter how carefully you took care of them" (135). The silkworm is a symbol for Faten and her dreams. She might endeavor to make things better, to try and survive in arduous conditions, but ultimately she and all her hopes of freedom and autonomy fail.
Dromedary (Symbol)
Faten watches a TV show about the dromedary, which concerns the "mammal's common habitat, his resistance to harsh living conditions, his nomadic patterns, and his many uses, as a beast of burden" (140). This animal symbolizes Faten herself: she is also a "beast of burden" for the men who use her, she is nomadic because she has no true home, and she is used to harsh living conditions.
Suitcase (Symbol)
Aziz has the intention of bringing Zohra with him to Spain, but he soon realizes that this would probably not be good for either of them. At the end of his trip to Morocco, "he closed his suitcase and lifted it off the bed. It felt lighter than when he had arrived" (167). The suitcase represents not just a physical object with his physical belongings in them, but who he is. When he "unpacks" Zohra, Morocco, and his past, he feels much lighter. This symbolizes how Aziz has his own new life in Spain and has relinquished everything else.
Lights (Symbol)
Murad stares longingly across the Strait, observing that "in the distance, car lights from the Spanish side looked like so many tiny lighthouses, beacons that warned visitors to stay out" (108). Lights are traditionally symbols of hope and promise, and something of that lingers in this passage. Yet there is a darker message for Murad, as there is also a suggestion of a moth being drawn to a flame, which will most likely result in its demise. These lights are beguiling, yes, but they are ultimately not safe for Murad and the others.
