How objects work in Theft and Magic

****Catch up post****

I'm really interested in inanimate objects in stories and how they can play really important parts in telling stories, often even driving the story. In Magic, it is definitely the hair. Hair is told not only in the story we are reading, but also in the story that the Madame is hearing. Hair represents power, and when someone else has your hair, they have power over you. In the case of Magic, it takes it another step further and it is always women who have power over other women.

In Theft, I think it is a couple things. Obviously, it is the purse with the woman. It is the McGuffin, it drives the story where it is supposed to go, but it isn't all that important itself. The women at the end of the story believe it holds something more, but then neither of them end up wanting it, because I think it does lose its power or appeal to them. It's just a purse.
I also think it is the hat. The man's hat that cannot get wet. The hats he wears are described in great detail. Why? It's probably because the hat fits into the material theme in the story.