What is an example of symbolism in the novel, Women Talking?

The hayloft in which the women hold their meetings symbolizes the tenuous nature of safety. Though the loft grants the women an enclosure in which they can discuss their plans for survival, the space is only temporary. In the early pages of the novel, however, the loft does feel impenetrable, outside the dangerous eyes and hands of the women's attackers. As the novel progresses, the space becomes increasingly interrupted by the mention and presences of those who threaten the women's security and agency. The author, therefore, uses the hayloft as a means of illustrating the importance of the women's departure, their need to create a new realm in which they may exist freely and independently.