Rifle- “The Boy Behind the Curtain”
The rifle described in “The Boy Behind the Curtain” fascinates Winton. When no one is in the house, he takes it, stands by the window and aims it at passers-by. His parents are unaware of how he dangerously handles the rifle when alone. Winton’s parents nurture his obsession with rifles by keeping one in their house. They store the rifle in a location where children like Winton can access it easily. The rifle is symbolic of the politics of gun ownership in contemporary America. The socialization of children determines whether they will be anti-gun or pro-gun ownership. Winton learns from his parents that everyone has the right to possess rifles. Fortunately, Winton does not kill anyone with the rifle during his routine aiming.
Curtain-“The Boy Behind the Curtain”
The title alludes to the significance of the curtain in Winton’s attitude towards rifles. Winton stands behind the curtain before he aims the rifle at people. The curtain offers a perfect cover. No one can see him standing behind it and holding a gun. The curtain symbolizes the role that domestic spaces play in nurturing children’s obsession with guns. The culture of gun violence begins at home. If Winton were to shoot someone while standing behind the curtain, nobody would see him because the curtain would cover him. After the shooting, the curtain would be seen, but the boy standing behind it would not be seen. Accordingly, the curtain creates an ideal ambience for perpetuating gun violence.
Cars- “Betsy”
Family cars are central symbols in Winton’s childhood memories. The cars are personified using female human names: Betsy and Minx. Furthermore, the cars are given the capacity to retire like humans. The personification means that the cars are considered family members even though they are inanimate objects. The cars serve the family through three generations. Eventually, they become old. Winton is ashamed of the cars because they have depreciated. Winton belongs to a generation that values conspicuous displays of material possessions such as cars. Therefore, he cannot show off his family's cars to his friends because the cars are not sophisticated.
