Hermit Crab

“Years ago when I was a graduate student… of animals internal clocks.”

This quote relates to the hermit crab’s symbolism in that the author studied behaviors of animals and already has some experience. She studied animals while in school. The behavioral aspect represents how the crabs responds to certain things. Also it’s behavior throughout the story.

“In my life I’ve had frightening losses and unfathomable gifts: A knife in my stomach.”

The symbolism this quote has to the hermit crab is that it continues to move. The crab has losses when it has to change shells because the shell is what protects it form the outside. The crab is also given the gift of being taken care of and someone relating as though they have the experiences that the crab may have. Another gift is how the crab is collected at the beach and given a new option of shell to now live in. Without the shell the crab would die.