The narrative is filled with rich descriptions of beautiful, expensive items and names of brands: Neiman Marcus, Herve Lager, Dujac wine, Land Rovers, and delicate bubble-thin Murano glass. These symbols of status and luxury perform multiple functions in the text. First, they depict the opulence of the world the Winburys inhabit. Simultaneously, they depict the gatekeeping of the wealthy. Because these items are so expensive, they shut out most of the population by corollary. For instance, while the Winburys eat lobster practically every day, Karen has not been able to afford lobster in three decades. Status symbols help the wealthy maintain the insularity of their world and are embedded in their vocabulary. Greer drives not just a car, but a Land Rover. When she describes for the reader the shoes she wore for Thomas’s wedding, she specifies that these are “stacked Ferragamo heels” (16).

The symbols of luxury are a metaphor for social aspiration. Though ordinary people may never make enough money to buy houses or boats, they can aspire to one-off items like a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. By possessing these items, people can feel they have somehow entered the world of elevated status.