Planes

Planes are the primary means of air travel in the novel, with flights coming in to and out of nearby Newark Airport. Three planes crash in Elizabeth over the course of the winter of 1951-1952, leading residents to live in fear. The three planes are each given a single character – Ruby, Kathy, and Gaby – with dreams. The planes and plane travel themselves become symbolic of the pursuit of dreams; the crash of the planes become symbolic of the failure of dreams. The rescue of Gaby comes to symbolize the salvation of dreams even when things go wrong, and is reflective of the way Miri and Mason, and Miri and Natalie reconnect 35 years later.

Love Without Fear

“Love Without Fear” is a guide on love and sex written by Eustace Chesser. It is given to Christina by Daisy for Christmas. Daisy knows that, as a young woman...