Buckshaw

Buckshaw is the house where Flavia lives. It symbolizes her mother's spirit as she was the de Luce in the union between her and the Colonel. The outdated, crumbling house also signifies the blurring of the lines between the social classes. The upper class exists only when summoned. It is fading away.

Chemistry

Chemistry symbolizes stability for Flavia. She loves chemistry, and her father gives her the lab that is in the house when he realizes this fact. For Flavia, chemistry also symbolizes a connection with her mother who had also loved chemistry. Additionally, Flavia’s role as a chemist relies on searching for stability and the truth to produce stable, known results.

Flavia’s Detective Work

Flavia’s self-proclaimed role as a detective symbolizes her desire to bring order, stability, and truth into her life. By investigating the mystery, she finds answers to a puzzle...