Slammerkin

The red color of the slammerkin is a major motif in the novel. To Mary, the color red has captivated her because she lives in a world of gray poverty, hardship, and isolation. To her, the color red symbolizes a chance for her to live a life beyond her humble one and enter a world of excitement. The color red also reminds her, however, that in the life she lives now she can never have something as nice as a red ribbon. So it drives her to into a new life of prostitution. Here in this life she is learning how to control men and hold power over her own life. The desire for the red ribbon high-lights the underlying desire for power and control that Mary seeks in her own life.