The way Theowraps The Goldfinch, as well as where he puts it, are metaphors of burial. Here, Theo says that he places the painting in a dark storage space of the basement after wrapping it with layers of material and protective tape. This move implies that the painting is no longer the primary thing of his concern. It also signifies a transition because Theo has always considered The Goldfinch to be a permanent thing is his life.

Another important takeaway from this chapter involves the apartment that Theo used to live at with his mother. He believes that the apartment is a permanent thing in his life and he even goes to confirm its whereabouts many years after they left for Las Vegas. But the sad truth confronts him when he finds the apartment occupied. It is at this point, where it dawns on Theo, that their stay at the apartment was transitory. He discovers that he has two things to preserve and create permanence in life: The Goldfinch and his relationship with Hobie.