Life Repeats Itself

Uncle Vernon first says this, and O'Hara echoes it later when he states, "Life is full of conflagrations. We can never be sure when we'll be consumed by the past." Many of the characters are perfect examples of this.

Rose spends time in the upper levels of the theater, staring out the window and remembering times that have passed. Dotty dreams of her days with O'Hara and recreates, with Desmond, that feeling of love during the repertory season. Mary Deare, though aging, comes back repeatedly to play her most successful part. Ironically, it's Peter Pan, the boy who won't grow up. Uncle Vernon and Lily fret about Stella, thinking of her mother's mistakes and hoping that Stella won't repeat them. Meredith is in a continuous loop of seducing young men and breaking their hearts for his amusement.

O'Hara longs for his lover from his young days...