The Crane Wife

THE CRANE WIFE

  1. The Crane Wife is based on the Japanese folk tale of the same name; however, Patrick Ness creates a new folk tale within his story played out on a series of tiles that Kumiko creates. The story of the volcano and the crane seems to hold significance to Kumiko but Ness never explains the purpose of the story within a story. Why did he choose to include the volcano and the crane story and what purpose does it serve in the novel?
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The relationship between the crane and the volcano symbolizes the dual forces involved in romantic relationships which include conflicts about power versus restraint, possession versus freedom, destruction versus creation, and anger versus forgiveness.