Metaphor for sin
In medieval times, it was believed that a person who was touched by evil had a mark on his on her body. When Margery bites herself, she leaves such a mark to suggest that she was affected by sin as well. In this situation, her bite mark is a metaphor for her sinful nature that will remain with her until the day she will die.
Metaphor for unholy desires
Kempe fears sex and any type of intimacy between her and her husband. She sees the sexual relationships between a man and a woman as something that has to happen but not necessarily something that she has to enjoy. The impression the reader is left with is that of a woman who sees sexual relationships as being sinful and impure. Of course, it was believed that is a person has sexual intercourse before marriage than that person commits a capital sin but in Kempe’s case, this could not be applied since she was married with John. Thus, one could reach the conclusion that for Margery, sexual intercourse and lust are a metaphor for sin in general and her fear of sexual desires represents her fear of sin.
The sun
In the fourteen chapter, Margery compares Christ to the sun to emphasize how she feels that she can count on him and how she is sure that he exists even though she can’t see him every moment. Just like the sun disappears for a short period of time during the night, Christ may seem absent from someone’s life at one point or another. This does not mean that a person was abandoned by God however as one can be certain that God never abandons his followers.
On a donkey
When Margery finally reaches Jerusalem, she enters the city on the back of a donkey. The way she enters the city is similar to the way Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem when he was alive. The similarity between the two events has the purpose of stressing the idea that Margery is just as holy as Jesus Christ.
Rejected by her peers
Another similarity between Jesus and Kempe is that they both have been rejected by their peers but accepted by unexpected people. Jesus was rejected by the people from his own tribe while Kempe was rejected by her fellow English men. But just like Christ found support in other people from the nations, Kempe found support with a group of Italians who accepted her for who she was and did not try to change her.
Mystical Marriage/Sex
Marriage between Jesus and Margery is a symbolic meaning of coming together as one, like man and wife. This enhances Margery's spirituality and relationship with God. This so-called "mystical marriage" truly brings the relationship between Margery and Jesus closer and allows her to continue spreading the word. Jesus also is very sexual to Margery and she puts that energy into visions.
