Christine's studio

Christine's decision to lock her studio after Zachary's death is a symbol of the connection between her confidence in her art and Zachary's support. It is revealed in the flashbacks throughout the novel that Zachary has always been Christine's greatest champion when it comes to her art, and when he dies, she is unsure how she will go on working. The full extent of this connection is revealed at the end of the novel when she decides to unlock the studio after seeing the exhibition Zachary had liked at Garret's Lane. She realizes that his aesthetic opinions were not infallible and that her work can succeed on its own merits.

Music

The music Alex and Christine are listening to when they learn of Zachary's death is a symbol of their vastly different sensibilities and their tendency toward conflict. When the novel opens, the narrator notes...