What is Fabienne’s Shriek?

Fabienne’s shriek symbolizes the insufficiency of language, art, and storytelling. After Agnès’ return to Saint Rémy, Fabienne tells her that they will be forever unable to fully share their lives with one another. She covers Agnès’ ears and lets out a wild shriek. Agnès later notes that this shriek seems to hold the same energy and spirit that artistic geniuses divert into symphonies, paintings, and novels. In this way, Fabienne’s shriek gestures at the power of the artistic impulse, as well as the frustrating limitations of all forms of art.