The following morning of David and Giovanni’s lovemaking, a rare snowfall hit Paris. So the room also presents itself as a symbol of fluidity that elated Giovanni and frightened David at the same time. David and Giovanni were allowed absolute fluidity of emotions and expressions by the privacy of the room and it helped them found their true selves. David brings an air of order and meaning to Giovanni’s life as well as his room. The room symbolizes Giovanni’s warped state of mind and his life that lacks any order. It presents itself as an utterly different world far away from the world outside.

Giovanni’s room itself is the biggest allegory in the novel Giovanni’s Room. He tries his heart and soul till the very end of the novel to conform to the conventional ideals of the heterosexual society through his fiancée, Hella. He can’t but think of Giovanni whenever extreme passion comes to his mind but he can’t accept his supposed fall from grace. He is too scared to figure out his true self and hides behind his make believe sexual attraction for Hella. She symbolizes the promise of a conventionally standard future which David can barely keep up with. Hella is the symbol of the make believe life of David. He rather ponders about his own Eden too in disguise. David ponders why he had to leave his happy place or Garden of Eden in this case to come to Paris and discover his interest in men which itself is a crime or swift fall from grace by conventional standards. Giovanni had a good life back in his village in Italy and had a wife and lived to sing. David ponders Jacques’ question of why can’t people stay in Eden and rather always fall from grace. The Garden of Eden is the symbol of innocence or primary happy state. Written by Fariha Islam and other people who wish to remain anonymous We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.

Giovanni's room cover