analyzing symbolism in Eleven

In the short story “Eleven” there are many examples of symbolism and sensory detail throughout the story. An example of sensory detail from the story is when the narrator says “Because the way you grow old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside of a tree trunk” this is using the sense of sight. Another example of sensory detail is when the author says “only today I wish I didn’t have only eleven years rattling inside me like pennies in a tin Band-Aid box” this is using the sense of sound. An example of symbolism is in the story is the number 11 because it represents who the narrator is. The narrator mentions several times that even though she is 11 she is says she is 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 all together which is implying that she is still a little sensitive and acts younger than she really is this explains how she got so upset over a sweater and cried. The birthday cake symbolizes her need to be older because she says in the story that she wish was 102 so she would know what to do and she connects them a lot in the story when she said she wants to be 102. A example of sensory detail in the story is when Rachael says “I put one arm through one sleeve of the sweater that smells like cottage cheese” she is using her sense of smell. She also uses sensory detail when she says “the red sweater’s still sitting there like a big red mountain” she refers to her sense of sight. In conclusion, there are many examples of symbolism and sensory detail throughout the story.