Phoenix Pin

The Phoenix Pin, bequeathed to Ernest by his mother, symbolizes resourcefulness and defensiveness in the face of calamity. In the novel, characters use the pin when someone is in danger, and ordinarily would have succumbed to that danger if it were not for that pin. Fahn first uses the pin to prevent another girl from being sexually assaulted. Ernest uses the pin to escape from the sack he was smuggled in, saving himself from drowning.

Seattle's World's Fair

Both of the Seattle’s World’s Fairs symbolize American exceptionalism. Through the fairs, Ford represents America’s evolving idea of itself. The fairs contain exhibitions that emphasize America’s technological prowess and cultural interests. While the first fair emphasizes the superiority of America’s European roots and fetishes cultures America deems to be “other,” the second fair is more interested in the future. The architecture is...