The Lives of Animals

Elizabeth gives her second lecture in a seminar room in the English Department, and John reads that as a sign of disinterest. He tells Norma, “They are holding it in a seminar room, so I don’t think they are expecting a big audience” (47). The seminar room is a symbol of negative bias against literature and liberal arts when compared to scientific fields.

The symbolism of the seminar room is further developed by the titles of the lectures. The first lecture about the philosophy of science is housed in a larger room, while the second lecture pertaining to poets occurs in a classroom. This spatial disparity symbolizes that the larger academic community values science and reason over literature and emotion. 

Elizabeth’s age and physical appearance are noted multiple times through John’s perspective. The motif of age supports the theme of Dysfunctional Families and Power. In the first paragraph, John is disturbed by her physical aging over the last two years since he has seen her: “Her hair, which had had streaks of gray in it, is not entirely white; her shoulder stoop; her flesh has grown flabby” (15). Elizabeth’s physical appearance combined with her admissions of confusion act as a visual symbol of her conflict and stress.