The symbol of Baby Jesus
The author has used Baby Jesus to represent hope and salvation. More often, people turn to Jesus when they are in problems because they are hopeful that he can take them out of the problems they are facing. Icy is not an exception because she knows that Baby Jesus is the only hope when things do not go well. She is terrified and she cries out to Baby Jesus for help. The author writes: “…terrified of the contraction, of each thought’s strangulation, I threw back head and cried, Baby Jesus! Sweet Jesus! and, not knowing what to do or how to stop, I gave in completely to the urge.”
The Symbol of Churches
Churches have been used figuratively to represent righteousness and truth. Icy Sparks says that most churches in the town are squeezed into corners to offer refuge. More often people go to church to seek divine intervention and speak to their creator in secrecy. Icy says, “The many churches, squeezed into corners, offered refuge. They were for righteous, truthful people.”
The symbol of Emily’s Unique Eating Habit
Emily is a fat girl because naturally, her parents were fat. Emily knows how negatively people talk about her. She is aware that not many people like her the way Icy Parks does. The two girls share different predicaments. Icy has popping eyes while Emily is extremely fat. Emily feels that there is a gap in life that will never be filled and that is why she is eating as much as she can. She knows that people around talk badly of her and that is why she has turned to eat anything so as to fill the gap of pain that she is exposed to. Therefore, her unique eating habit represents the deep gap of pain in her body caused by the people who talk negatively about her.
