Importance of Clothing

In The Book of Goose, clothing serves as a manifestation of the growing separation between Agnès and Fabienne. After Agnès achieves some acclaim as an author, her publisher (and, eventually, Mrs. Townsend) buys her a collection of new clothes. The clothes stand in distinct contrast to the outfits that Fabienne wears as she tends livestock in Saint Rémy. In this way, the clothes are a literalization of Agnès’ entrance into a new world. Importantly, this transition into a new life requires Agnès to separate herself—both physically and emotionally—from Fabienne. Clothing thus acts as a marker of estrangement, distance, and profound change.