Kairos

The boxes Katharina receives in the Prologue are a material symbol of her relationship with Hans. This symbol exists to call attention to the abstract quality of relationships by using keepsakes such as letters, trinkets, and even receipts to remind Katharina of the time she spent with Hans.

The boxes drive Katharina to recall their relationship, and in doing so, they also push her to make value judgments about the tenor of their relationship. It may have been difficult for Katharina to assess their relationship while it was happening, but with the distance of time and the aid of the memory triggers the boxes provide, Katharina is finally able to see the bigger picture. This is also why the boxes function as a framing device for the main narrative of the novel. Appropriately, each part of the novel is named after one of the two boxes.

The cassette tapes Hans uses to criticize Katharina in Part 2 function as a motif for Identity and Power in the Context of Romantic Love. In Part 2, Chapter 2, Hans claims that he is so hurt by Katharina’s infidelity that he can no longer look at her handwriting.