The "mild and bland’’ sky
When Stephen returns to London, the first thing he notices as being different is the sky that he describes as being mild and bland. The description of the sky is different from the sky he was used to in his childhood, a time when the country was affected by war and hardship. The fact that Stephen described the sky as being dull and boring makes the reader understand what type of life he used to have in London during his childhood.
Dusting off his pants
An important image appears in the second chapter, when Stephen thinks about his childhood friend, a boy named Keith. Stephen remembers how the two used to play together and how he would often go to his house to play. Soon after making that fact known, Stephen describes himself dusting off his pants and jacket before entering Keith’s home with the purpose of making himself more presentable. This image is important because it shows just how important it was for Keith to cross over the social bridge and how much he wanted to feel accepted by his wealthier friends.
Destroyed house
Stephen is forced to see every day the destroyed house of one of his neighbor’s. The house is extremely close to Stephen’s house and it is a grim reminder that makes Stephen realize that during the war, no one is safe. The house is a visual representation of the destruction done by the war and shows just how war can affect a community’s well-being and its functionality.
Violent children
After almost being discovered in the tunnel by Keith’s mother, the children go to the Barn where they throw rocks at a place where they knew a poor man used to stay. As they were throwing rocks, the two boys imagined the poor man, covering in fear and the image of the scared men gave the boys even more power. Even though it was only in their imagination, the image of the scared man and the fact that it made them feel powerful shows just how much children were affected by war and how some of them ended even glorifying violence and adopting a violent behavior as well.
