The Blue Boat
While we never see it on the stage, Gar devotes a great deal of energy to remembering a blue rowboat that he and his father took out when he was young to go fishing. He describes the boat and the scene in vivid detail, and the promise of sharing this memory with his father becomes central and redemptive to his emotional journey. The audience cannot help but picture the boat, a remnant of a distant, happy childhood.
The Belt
Before he goes, the arrogant Ned gives Gar his belt, saying that he can use it to defend himself against any enemies in the United States. The belt is an image of friendship and of Ned's wounded and highly sensitive masculinity, his desire to appear tough at all costs, even though he is just a boy.
Gar's Record Player
Gar's record player is linked to his desire to divert his attention from—and to leave the unpleasant aspects of—Ballybeg. He plays it to get himself excited for his trip to Philadelphia, and he relies on it to distract himself when Private brings up memories of his mother and Kate. The image of the record player is a central element of Gar's private existence in his bedroom.
S.B. in the Kitchen
In the early morning before Gar is scheduled to leave Ireland, S.B. comes into the kitchen, unable to sleep. He touches some of Gar's packed items tenderly, the only display of emotion we see from him throughout the whole play, then sits in the kitchen alone. It is the image of a stoic man who is about to get left behind, unable to speak up and say what he feels in time of great emotion.
