60 pages 2 hours read

B.A. Paris

Behind Closed Doors

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2016

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Symbols & Motifs

Dehydration

Molly the dog dies of dehydration when Jack locks her in the basement. He leaves her with enough water for a few days, but not enough to survive the three weeks that they are away in Thailand. When Grace is locked in the small bedroom upstairs, she mentions that at least she has a bathroom with a sink so that she doesn’t die of dehydration. In the end, Grace gets her revenge by leaving Jack to die in the basement room just like Jack left Molly. When Jack wakes up from being drugged, he has no food or water and is locked in, eventually succumbing to dehydration. 

Yellow and Red

The color yellow is Millie’s favorite. It symbolizes innocence, happiness, loyalty and love—four qualities and virtues that Millie herself displays. Red is the color that Grace uses for the painting she creates before she finds out that Jack is crazy. She kisses the canvas while wearing various shades of lipstick. Jack takes this painting and puts it above the fireplace, effectively taunting Grace for being so wrong about him. It is also the color that Jack chooses to paint the basement room where Millie will actually live. Red represents oppression,

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By B.A. Paris

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The Breakdown

B.A. Paris

The Breakdown

B.A. Paris