Louie's Bag (Symbol)
Louie is a bagman for the mob. He carries with him a bag that he tells the boys never to open. When given the opportunity to open the bag, Jay won't do it, intimidated by the fact that his uncle is a mobster. The bag is a symbol of all of Louie's secrets, all of the dark decisions he's made in his life that have led up to his current situation. The bag represents the dark side of their goofy and affectionate uncle's life, the things he won't discuss with anyone.
Dragging Foot (Symbol)
Grandma walks with a slight drag on one foot. The way that her own leg has become a burden is a symbol of the years and years she's spent dealing with her unresolved pain of life. She carries many horrible memories and huge losses with her, and they weigh her down, made manifest in the way that her body works and how she moves.
Grandma charging Jay for the pretzels (Symbol)
Grandma makes Jay pay for anything that is stolen from her shop, even the things that he himself doesn't steal. While she knows that Bella is the one who ate three pretzels from the store, she blames Jay and makes him pay for them. When Jay vents about the injustice of Grandma's logic, Louie reveals that she once charged him for a bag of pistachios. Grandma's unfair and skewed punishment is a symbol of her philosophy about the world. She views the world as unfair, and tries to pass down this philosophy to her children and grandchildren in hopes that it will teach them to value things and look out for themselves. Grandma's charging them symbolizes her "tough love" mentality.
Letters (Motif)
Eddie writes letters throughout the play to his two sons while he is on the road. They represent his desire to remain connected to them though he is very far away. The letters recur, read in voiceover, throughout the play, and subdivide the different scenes and acts. The letters are not always Eddie's, sometimes they are Arty and Jay's as well, and they show the connection between father and sons.
Grandma's Mustard Soup (Symbol)
The infamous mustard soup that Grandma makes for children when they are sick is yet another symbol of her "tough love" mentality. She made it for Eddie and Louie when they were young, and now she makes it for Arty when he has a fever. It tastes horrible and seems more like punishment than anything else, but ultimately it makes him feel better. The soup symbolizes the fact that Grandma's love is harsh and doesn't go down easy, but it is surprisingly effective and does good for her loved ones.
