The Runaway Bunny
The Runaway Bunny is read to Vivian by Dr. Ashford in her final moments of life. It is a symbol of our desire to be child-like, ones need for simplicity through the clarity that the certainty of death brings.
To the Light
Vivian reaches towards the light after taking off her hospital gowns at the very end of the play after she has died. This is a symbol of shedding her earthly burdens and being released into the freedom of eternity in heaven.
No Need
Dr. Kelekian asks if Vivian needs him to consult with anyone before she signs an agreement to undergo her experimental cancer treatment. She tells him no and signs. This is a symbol that she has dedicated her life to her work and left no room for relationships in her personal life.
Uncovered
Jason has just examined Vivian in front of other interns and he leaves without covering Vivian's stomach which he exposed to exam her. This is a symbol of his coldness and lack of care for the human being before him. This is a symbol that he is only concerned with research, not Vivian as a person.
Dr. Ashford
Dr. Ashford crawls into bed with Vivian after taking her shoes off at the end of the play. This is a symbol that she is a woman who understands poetry far differently than Vivian. Dr. Ashford has chosen to experience poetry through life rather than through scholarly study. Thus, her laying next to Vivian reveals her understanding of closeness, life and death.
