Goodbye Columbus ch.1

 Parallels: On page 13 Neil and Brenda are talking about her family & nose jobs when he asks about her father and says " is he having his fixed" "why are you so nasty?" "I'm not. I'm sorry". This is a touchy subject for her and it makes her seem insecure; despite her edgy attitude. Again on page 15 Neil asks Brenda "Why don't you have your eyes fixed" " there you go again" "I'm sorry". Whenever Neil brings up "fixing" things Brenda puts her guard up.
Contrast: While Neil is talking to Brenda on their first "date" He asks her  on page 10+11 "Is that where you go to school?" "No. I go to school in Boston" "Boston University?" "Radcliffe." This really pisses Neil off because it is not something in his character to understand being so illusive and vague, he would just simply say he went to Newark Colleges of Rutgers University. this could be due to one of two things I think: A) due to his lesser income growing up school is a bigger deal/ accomplishment vs. Brenda who may not have had to worry about finances and college was very normal for the people she knows in her close circle. B) they are just two very different personalities.
PROPS:
-Phone
-Fresh fruit vs. canned fruit (referenced)
-bench
-Tennis Racket
-Brenda's Glasses: this is a really important prop referenced numerous times and it was the identifying characteristic of how Neil met/ noticed Brenda. He is always stuck holding them for her because she doesn't want to deal with them. I think it's too early to call it a symbol but I can see it potentially developing as one as the book goes on * things to keep in mind: vision, perception, windows, eyes
Class consciousness: Theres a lot of contrast between the environments Brenda and Neil live in, Brenda lives in like "Kenilworth" while Neil lives in "Skokie", with college named streets and well manicured lawns versus gravel ally ways and dairy queens. So there is a separation of economical classes. Also whenever Neil says he or someone is "dark" she immediately assumes that they are black (negro) and she is quick to jump to this conclusion but the way she asks is very hesitant and"tip-toe-ey" so there is some racial tension on Brenda's half. Also she's referred to as always wearing very crisp white clothes which have their own connotation as well.