The Bog

The bog symbolizes physical and psychological entrapment, in particular those restrictions Silvie's father inflicts upon his daughter. In each of Silvie's meditations on the bog people, she considers the ways in which the bog both kills and preserves. While each item and individual sacrificed to the swampy abyss ultimately dies, the bog preserves their shape and form. In much the same way, Silvie's familial circumstances suck her spirit from her, even as her body continues to live. The author furthers this symbolic resonance when Silvie recalls being sucked into another bog while out with her father. She remembers her inability to move, the pain of being pulled from the mud. These images suggest that Silvie's work to escape her father's realm will be equally as difficult and painful.

Molly

Molly's character symbolizes female empowerment, independence, and self-possession. Molly's inhibition of body and mind shape her...