How to Age Disgracefully

Daphne’s jewelry is a symbol of her character as well as her past, offering different interpretations as the novel progresses. At first, Daphne’s jewels are taken as gaudy costume jewelry—a sign of her flamboyant but possibly superficial nature, as suggested by the necklace she wears to the first meeting of the senior group. Ziggy, too, assumes that the jewelry Daphne wears is diamante rather than real gemstones, both the bracelet that Kylie chews on and the necklace she gives to Floyd.

Like the jewelry, however, Daphne is more powerful than she seems. The jewels are a testament to her glamorous, dangerous past and the strategic skills she used to help the Jones gang plan their heists. The jewels help her transfer some of her allure and confidence to other characters, like the double strand of pearls she gives to Lydia, along with the Dior jacket. The jewels further symbolize her support and mentorship of other characters, like the way the diamond Kylie swallows offers a financial boost to Ziggy, helping him pay for his university expenses. Like the jewelry, Daphne’s skills have been hidden for a long time, but the novel gives Daphne and her jewelry the opportunity to shine.

The wardrobe where Art stores his stolen goods symbolizes the secrets Art has kept in his life, first the reason that his wife and remaining daughter left him, and also the secret of his compulsion to steal. Putting his stolen goods in the large article of furniture in the room shared by his twin daughters illustrates that Art might be stealing as a way to make up for the lack he feels in his life. He justifies his behavior as striking back at those who deserve it, either for neglect, prejudice, or poor business practice. However, in putting stolen goods where his daughters’ belongings had once been, Art proves that he cannot bear their absence and is trying to hide his shame over his behavior.

Opening the wardrobe means confronting the poor choices he has made, which speaks to Reinventing and Rediscovering Oneself. In giving away clothing and toys, Art shows he is trying to make amends for his behavior. His efforts to empty the wardrobe on his own are only partially successful, showing that Art needs support to confront his deep wounds. With the help of his new friends, who empty the wardrobe and clean his home, Art finds the help he needs to own up to his past, giving him a new start and the chance to make better choices in the future.