Beads

Throughout the narrative, beads symbolize order. In the prologue, Clemantine describes her story as a string of cut beads, in an attempt to translate her fragmented sense of reality. However, when Clemantine is depicted gathering or restringing the beads, the author illustrates her attempts to arrange and control the disparate fractures of her life.

Elie Wiesel's Night

The book Night, by Elie Wiesel, symbolizes comfort and license. When Clemantine first encounters Wiesel's story, she is shocked. She cannot believe Wiesel has the language to describe experiences and feelings that so closely resemble her own. She rereads the book numerous times, with each read finding new validation and allowance for her own story.

Mukamana's Stories

The stories Clemantine's nanny Mukamana tells her as a child symbolize agency. Mukamana's tales are not merely sources of entertainment. Rather, they help Clemantine make sense out of her world. No matter...