Mirrors

Mirrors, reflections, and mirroring appear frequently in the novel and often represent a bridge between a character’s self and others. Porter looks into a mirror in her bathroom as she tries to gather herself before telling her mother she is pregnant. In an affectionate moment, August’s mother blows a kiss to him, and he blows a kiss back, “making his face her mirror” (45). At the end of the epilogue, Astrid FaceTimes with her family on a phone and then notices the reflection of her and Birdie in the screen once it has gone blank.

Large windows

Large windows represent the danger of emptiness, particularly in Elliot’s life. In his house, birds kill themselves by flying into the large windows that look out over the backyard, presumably because the windows are so wide that the birds do not perceive them as barriers. Elliot’s...