Solipsism

Solipsism is the extreme preoccupation with one's own feelings to the point of denying reality. By creating alternative scenarios, the person is safe from emotional pain. For example, Rose had lingering memories of some of the more troubling things that happened during her youth, but she was never ready to face them. Instead, she would make excuses or come up with a more acceptable explanation. She didn’t know that Fern was taken to a lab, so she decided that Lowell must have saved her, or that the lab was just a temporary stop before going to the farm.

Ventriloquist Doll (Madame Defarge)

Rose first encounters Madame Defarge early in the book when she is given the wrong suitcase by the airport. For Rose, Madame Defarge represents the relationship that she used to have with Fern. On a deeper level, she represents freedom. Everyone outside of...