Sanity and Insanity

In "Silent Snow, Secret Snow," sanity is defined as the ability to function in the everyday world and interact with people. Conversely, insanity is measured by the degree to which one is unfamiliar with everyday occurrences and the inability to communicate with others. Deirdre's eagerness to answer Mrs. Buell's geography question is evidence of her sanity. The globe that figures in Mrs. Buell's geography lesson is a symbol for the real and everyday world in which people, as they mature, become increasingly interactive. In contrast, Paul's desire to avoid reality and seek refuge in the sheltering snow is indicative of his increasing behavioral abnormality.

Truth and Falsehood

Saneness may be defined in "Silent Snow, Secret Snow" as a person's ability to distinguish between the truth and lies. Paul's parents are concerned that he is no longer his true self. The doctor investigates the truth of Paul's...