Alma's Father's Things
Perhaps it goes without saying that David Singer's things symbolize—yep—David Singer. For a while after his death, his widowed wife keeps all his possessions exactly as he left them. When she f...
Drawing Classes
Leo's decision (and let's be honest, it's a pretty bizarre decision) to pose nude for a drawing class pairs beautifully with his (ahem) exposing himself in other ways, as he begins telling us his s...
Slonim vs. New York City
The imagery that's used to portray the town of Slonim is carefully selected to paint a very specific picture of the world, stolen from Leo and company. It almost seems like a lost paradise, especia...
Leo the Locksmith
Leo opens doors—you know, for a living. But he also does this metaphorically for the other characters in the novel. Most obviously, his book The History of Love is responsible for bringing togeth...
The Holocaust
You will not find the word "Holocaust" in The History of Love, but the atrocities of World War II hang heavily over the novel anyway. Perhaps the most overt reference in the novel is a brief passag...
Heart, Compass, Book, Ark
Finally, we should mention that Krauss has actually chosen symbols for each character. The chapter titles are accompanied by a symbol corresponding to the main character in that section. Leo has a...