54 pages • 1 hour read
Mr. Fox
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Symphony Music
Content Warning: This guide section contains depictions of domestic abuse and violence against women.
The symphony music symbolizes the evolving power dynamics between Mr. Fox and Daphne, as well as Daphne’s gradual reclaiming of her autonomy. In the first chapter, Mr. Fox plays the music loudly while writing, assuming that it irritates his wife. This assumption reflects Mr. Fox’s broader misunderstanding of Daphne and his dismissal of her preferences, as he sees her more as a passive figure in his life rather than an individual with her own tastes and desires.
However, in Chapter 9, when the novel more fully explores Daphne’s perspective, and she begins to assert control over her life, the narrative reveals that she enjoys the symphony music: “While he worked, he played a symphony I liked—he played it very loudly, but it was good that way, rising up through the floorboards and welling up around me” (281). This shift signifies Daphne’s growing independence and her ability to reclaim the things in her life that Mr. Fox previously used to dominate her. What Mr. Fox once assumed was a source of irritation becomes a symbol of Daphne’s inner strength and her emerging control over her narrative.
Daphne’s Wedding Ring
Daphne’s wedding ring symbolizes the power and control that Mr. Fox exerts over her throughout their marriage. The ring, described as “made of cheap brass, and […] slightly misshapen, as if unable to withstand the heat of her body” (92), reflects the fragility of their relationship and Mr. Fox’s superficial authority over Daphne. The fact that the ring is physically deformed reveals that it cannot bear the weight of its symbolic significance; Mr. Fox’s control over his wife is tenuous and ultimately unsustainable.
The ring is a key point of conflict during the argument before the party when Mr. Fox tries to force Daphne to wear it, physically asserting his control. This moment highlights his desire to maintain his dominance, using the ring as a marker of ownership. However, Daphne’s eventual decision to wear the ring on a chain rather than on her finger signals a shift in their power dynamic. As she gains more autonomy and distances herself from Mr. Fox’s emotional manipulation, Daphne symbolically sheds his control by removing the ring from her finger altogether. The ring, once a tool of power, becomes a reminder of the control Daphne is actively rejecting.
Daphne’s Shirtwaist
Daphne’s favorite shirtwaist symbolizes the shifting relationship between her and Mary, the evolving dynamic of female solidarity and understanding, and Subverting Traditional Gender Roles and the “Damsel in Distress” Trope. In the earlier chapters, Daphne perceives Mary as a threat to her marriage, viewing her as an imaginary rival Mr. Fox created. However, this changes when Daphne offers Mary her favorite shirtwaist, a gesture that goes beyond the surface-level act of clothing:
We went to my dressing room and I gave her a lilac shirtwaist to put on. I didn’t tell her, but it was my favourite thing to wear […] Mary Foxe looked as cute as a button in my dress […] I was glad we were the same dress size (283).
The shirtwaist, a personal and cherished item, represents a significant shift in how Daphne views Mary. Instead of seeing Mary as a rival, Daphne begins to empathize with her, sharing something intimate and personal. This act of giving Mary her favorite shirtwaist symbolizes a new bond between the two women, built on understanding and mutual respect. Daphne’s happiness in realizing that they are the same dress size further reinforces this connection, as it signifies a growing recognition of their shared struggles and experiences. The shirtwaist thus becomes a symbol of Daphne’s evolving empowerment, as she moves from viewing Mary as a competitor to seeing her as a kindred spirit, united against Mr. Fox’s attempts to control them both.
Foxgloves
The foxglove flowers symbolize the duality of beauty and danger, which mirrors the novel’s exploration of complex relationships and power dynamics. Foxgloves appear multiple times in the novel, most notably when they are sent to Mary by a man named Fitcher and later in Mr. Fox’s study. The flowers carry a symbolic weight tied to their inherent ambiguity—foxgloves are associated with both beauty and poison, representing both healing and harm.
In the context of Mr. Fox’s relationships with Mary and Daphne, the foxglove flowers reflect the tension between attraction and the underlying threat of violence. For Mary, the flowers signify the dangerous allure of her connection to Mr. Fox, as well as the toxicity in how he manipulates and controls the women in his life. The dual nature of the flowers echoes the themes of deception and the fine line between affection and harm, making the foxglove a fitting symbol for the dangers inherent in Mr. Fox’s narrative control. By using foxgloves to underscore this duality, Helen Oyeyemi reinforces the theme of ethical responsibility, particularly in how Mr. Fox often intertwines both beauty and violence and writes about and relates to women.
Foxes
The foxes in the final chapter of Mr. Fox serve as symbolic representations of Mr. Fox’s character, capturing the duality of his role as both protector and predator. In the first part of the story, a fox attempts to lead a young woman through a dangerous, wintry forest. This fox represents both danger and guidance, mirroring the complex nature of Mr. Fox throughout the novel. Mr. Fox is often torn between his desire to protect and connect with the women in his life and his inclination to control or harm them, either through his writing or in his relationships.
The line “The fox never looked back at her. A different fox?” represents the ambiguity of Mr. Fox’s actions (315)—his intentions are never fully clear. The fox, like Mr. Fox, leads the young woman to safety, but an inherent uncertainty in his behavior remains. The question of whether this is the same fox or a different one reflects the fluidity of Mr. Fox’s character and his potential for both good and harm.
In this moment, the fox also serves as a stand-in for Mary, who has guided Daphne through her emotional and psychological journey toward self-realization. By the end of the novel, Mary has led Daphne to a place of safety and autonomy, much like the fox guiding the woman through the woods. The fox’s ambiguous nature, shifting between help and harm, mirrors Mr. Fox’s role throughout the story as he wrestles with the consequences of his actions and The Ethical Responsibility of Writers in Portraying Violence Against Women.
Unlock all 54 pages of this Study GuidePlus, gain access to 8,800+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
Related Titles
By Helen Oyeyemi
