The Snow (Symbol)
The snow is figuratively used by the author to represent unending problems. As the little girl stood confused not knowing the next course of action, the author writes, “She stood in the frozen furrow of the previous night’s tyre tracks. The snow stretched on either side. Akhmed had not prepared for this.” Akhmed and his daughter were in deep problems because they were trying to look for a new home after their house was burnt by the Feds. He did not know where to take his daughter to seek refuge. He did not understand why his little girl had to undergo all that trauma.
Havaa Dreams (Symbol)
The dreams are emblematically used by the author to represent the traumatic experience that Havaa is going through due to the action of the Feds to forcefully evict them and take her father away that day. The dream is disturbing because the girl is psychologically disturbed. The author writes, “On the morning after the Feds burned down her house and took her father, Havaa woke from dreams of sea anemones.”
The symbol of the puffy jacket
Havaa hails from poor family background and this is illustrated by the symbol of the puffy jacket. The jacket is second hand clothe which Havaa acquired courtesy of the red cross donation. The author writes, "She zipped her puffy jacket over a sweatshirt that in Manchester England, had warmed the shoulders of five brothers before the sixth, a staunchly philanthropic six-year-old, had given to his school’s Red Cross donation so his mother would have to buy him a new one.”
The symbol of venereal diseases
As Havaa and her father were navigating the forest to their new unknown destination to seek refuge, the came across many obstacles ranging from the thick forest, snow, and a possible roadblock armed by the soldier. However, as they came across the only remaining roadblock, they realized that the soldiers were not alert because they might have had venereal diseases. The venereal diseases are symbolically used to represent Havaa and her father's luck to cross the most guarded cross point. The author says, "…. but the soldiers, eight men who between them could share more venereal diseases than Chechen words, seemed no more alert than brain sick bucks, and they returned to the road a quarter a kilometer past the checkpoint.”
Sonja (Symbol)
Sonja is symbolically used as a sign of protection to Havaa despite her glaring appearance. When Akhmed finally gets to the hospital he finds Sonja who offers to stay with Havaa. Initially, Akhmed had hinted to Havaa that they were traversing a difficult journey to look for a woman who can stay with her in a hospital. However, Akhmed knew that Sonja is scaring to most people but this was important in protecting Havaa from anybody who could hurt her. Akhmed says, "Sure, Sonja was a cold, domineering woman, whose glare could wither flowers and cause miscarriages….” He concluded to notify the reader that Havaa was safe after all because no one could hurt her under the care of Sonja.
