Different symbols associated with marriage appear several times in the story, forming a motif. In the first scene, for example, one of the other women living at the laundry tells Maria that she is “sure to get the ring,” referring to the ring that is sometimes hidden (and found) alongside other items during the games that Irish people play on Hallow Eve. The different items signal different possibilities in the chooser’s near future, with the ring representing marriage. Given Maria's old age, it is likely that this woman is using verbal irony (sarcasm) to gently mock Maria, suggesting that marriage is not a viable option for her.
After Maria leaves the laundry and goes to buy sweet treats for Joe, Mrs. Donnelly, and their children, the cake shop employee references another symbol for marriage, this time the wedding cake:
Here [Maria] was a long time in suiting herself and the stylish young lady behind the counter, who was evidently a little annoyed by her, asked her was it wedding-cake she wanted to buy. That made Maria blush and smile at the young lady; but the young lady took it all very seriously and finally cut a thick slice of plumcake.
While Maria “blush[es] and smile[s]” when the cake shop employee asks if she is looking to buy wedding cake, it becomes clear that this is not because she is happy but because she's uncomfortable. The cake shop employee does not ask Maria the question earnestly—as the narrator states, the women was “evidently a little annoyed” by Maria—so readers can assume that she also uses verbal irony to mock Maria, who is clearly older and very much not looking for a wedding cake.
The final symbol for marriage that appears in the story is once again the wedding ring, which shows up in the Hallow Eve game at the Donnellys. It is notable that Maria is not the one to pick it, but one of the young girls who live next door to the Donnellys. In this moment, the girl’s youth and potential is juxtaposed with Maria’s aging and lonely state.
