Paris and free love
The scenery of Paris is a perfect companion for both the relationship between Robin and Nora, not only because of the obvious romance of living together in Paris but also because Paris is politically liberal, for the most part. Robin finds that she appreciates this about the city, often feeling completely one with the city as she explores the community through sexual liaisons.
America as a normal state
Back in America, Robin finds the parts of life that she didn't want to think about in Paris. For instance, there is death and the decay of time, evident in the old buildings that she stumbles upon. America is also the place where they find themselves in nature, instead of the tight European architecture of Paris. They quickly end up in woods. The point is that America represents the opposite of European social nicety.
Loneliness as a herd of people
The imagery of loneliness is subtle, but once the motif has formed, the reader should be able to see the portrait of loneliness that the book is offering. Robin, sitting alone in church, is forced to admit that, although she has had a litany of lovers and friends, she is alone. The depiction of her social life literally is a picture of loneliness, because she spends all that time striving to become less lonely, but in the end, the effort proves futile.
Love and time
There is imagery that suggests the passage of time, like a growing child for instance, or the decrepit building in the woods slowly decaying. The imagery forms a picture of time as the test of love, because the question Robin constantly avoids is, will it last? Nora sees that and wants Robin to be with her, but Robin doesn't see the passage of time as a test, and so when push comes to shove, she ends relationships that might have had more time, if she arranged her priorities differently.
