Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Choo Choo Choose Her
In the book's first chapter, Therese observes a toy train. It's not a big train, "but there was a fury in its tiny pumping pistons that the bigger trains did not possess" (1.28). All aboard!
She mentions the toy train again to Carol, once, much later in the novel. But it's up to us to analyze why Therese is so drawn to this train. Does she think she is like the train? Does she possess a fury? And is she like the train? Or has her train of thought gone off track here? Over to you, Shmoopers— make your case.