Symbolism
The short story “Beautiful Things” by Kate Vine relies on symbolism to describe the development of the relationship between the narrator and Tom.
The shabby house becomes a symbol of the couple’s imperfect relationship. The house needs work but has the potential to become beautiful, just like the narrator’s relationship with Tom. In the end, when the narrator suggests buying the house that she initially rejected, she symbolically agrees to work to improve her relationship with Tom.
After she finds out about Tom’s feelings for Ashley, the narrator becomes obsessed with the thought of eating raspberries. Initially, raspberries are symbols of the unexpected and are associated with Tom’s confession: “For some reason, I think of raspberries, how I like to press them into the roof of my mouth. The juice bursts out and only then...