The Ocean
Throughout Winton’s life, the ocean symbolizes both boundless freedom and unidentifiable danger. As a child, Winton feels that the ocean is his backyard—he’s less afraid of it than of the prospect of losing it…
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Guns
In The Boy Behind the Curtain’s title essay, the unloaded rifle that young Winton points at unsuspecting passersby symbolizes the general violence that often replaces dialogue in difficult situations. Reflecting on his boyhood habit…
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The Hospital
The hospital symbolizes the fear that often accompanies life’s most transformative and uncontrollable moments. The hospital first becomes an emotional place for Winton when Winton’s father spends considerable time there recovering from a devastating motorbike…
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