What is an example of symbolism in the novel, The Wren, the Wren?

Phil's watch symbolizes his emotional detachment and refusal to take responsibility for his actions. After abandoning Terry and their children, he returns to the family home, ransacking it for the watch, while Terry, bedridden and stoic, refuses to assist him, highlighting her quiet suffering and disillusionment with him. The watch becomes a symbol of Phil's evasion of the consequences of his abandonment, his focus on material possessions rather than emotional accountability. Later, Carmel looks back on an old TV interview and notices Phil wearing the watch, leading her to question how and when he got it back, accusing Imelda of assisting him. The watch thus becomes a symbol of the way Phil evades the consequences of abandoning his family.