Redhead by the Side of the Road

As the title implies, the fire hydrant that Micah sees every morning on his jog is the most significant symbol of the book. The fire hydrant represents Micah’s inability to adjust his misconceptions. Despite knowing that it’s a fire hydrant, Micah makes the same mistake every morning of thinking it’s a small redheaded child by the side of the road. This symbolizes how Micah fails to readjust his initial perceptions of people over time. Micah makes repeated misconceptions about the people in his life, from his neighbors, like Luella Carter, to the people he’s closest to, like Cass, leading to conflict and embarrassment when he’s confronted with the depth and complexity of these individuals.

Micah’s bicycle from when he was 12 symbolizes the way Micah grows bored and finicky within his relationships. Lorna uses Micah’s treatment of the bike as a symbol for his treatment of her during their relationship’s rough patch. Micah “got [the bike] for [his] twelfth birthday, after [he] begged and pleaded” (162). But shortly after, he leaves it unattended at a park for hours on end and it gets stolen. Lorna questions how he could have neglected it after wanting it for so long.