The main purpose of the passage is to illustrate the
relationship between the maasai and
laasai
not a
viding
o mount kenya.
o the children.
o the cattle.
o their god.
en

as for symbolic actions, the narrator's tearing down the wallpaper in an attempt to find the "woman" in the wallpaper represents her struggle to retain or regain her sanity.   the wallpaper has been part of her confinement and by her tearing it down, she is freeing herself from that confinement.