Jude's CD (Symbol)
When he is adopted by Harold, Jude is uncertain as to what he should give Harold as a gift. Knowing that Harold loves his singing voice, Jude records an album of him singing. Too nervous to offer the gift to Harold directly, Jude hides it in his office. It is not until after Jude's suicide that Harold uncovers the CD. Harold listens to the CD and is overwhelmed by the beauty. While he lived an incredibly pained life, the CD of Jude's singing is a symbol of the beauty that is possible in even the most horrid circumstances. It also symbolizes how Jude persistently underestimated and undervalued himself. He could never accept how much beauty he brought into the world, nor how happy he made the people who loved him.
Jude's Scars (Symbol)
While abducted by Brother Luke, Jude begins to cope with the emotional and sexual abuse by cutting himself. The practice continues after he is rescued from Brother Luke, and Jude develops a serious problem with self-harm. As the cutting continues into his adult life, he is left with deeply scarified arms. To hide the scars, Jude perpetually wears sleeved shirts and goes to great lengths to hide the scars from even his closest friends. He is ashamed not only of his past but also of his inability to overcome his past. In this sense, the scars on Jude's arms act as the physical manifestation of incredible psychological and emotional pain. The way Jude interacts with his scars also symbolizes his relationship to his past. Rather than accepting what he has lived through, Jude always tries to hide it from everyone.
The Adoption (Symbol)
As Jude's relationship with Harold and his wife, Julia, grows deeper, the two decide that they would like to legally adopt Jude. Having lost his own son, Harold finds that the adoption is an emotional moment for both Harold and Jude, who was orphaned as a young boy. Jude decides that the day of adoption was among the happiest days of his life, and it increases the bond shared between Harold and Jude. The adoption is symbolic of the creation of non-traditional families, and of the idea that family units are as much social constructions as they are biological units. The adoption also symbolizes fresh beginnings and the possibility of joy coming from loss.
The Apartment on Lispenard Street (Symbol)
As the novel begins, Jude and Willem are moving into a rundown apartment on Lispenard Street in New York. It is cramped and dingy, yet the two men are incredibly happy. Both of them came from underprivileged upbringings; being able to afford their own apartment is a symbol of achievement and independence which they both once thought was impossible. The apartment also symbolizes the bond between Jude and Willem and how it will endure throughout their lives. Jude and Willem begin as roommates out of economic necessity, but they become the loves of each other's lives.
Lantern House (Symbol)
At the peak of their success, Jude and Willem build a house together in the country where they can go to spend time together. Because of their busy lives, Jude and Willem are limited in how much time they get to spend together. They need a special place to retreat to, where they can focus on enjoying their time together. Lantern House symbolizes their commitment to each other and the acknowledgment that their relationship is the best thing in their lives. The house also symbolizes their wealth and success. Because of how well their careers have gone and how hard they have worked, two men who grew up with difficult and underprivileged childhoods can now live a beautiful and luxurious life together.
