comment in theme

Determining the difference between reality and illusion is an important thematic factor in the Gardener’s creation of his own reality in the Garden. The girls struggled to remember their own realities even as they cooperated with the Gardener and complied with his desires. Desmond was a valuable tool for the girls when he was introduced to the Garden. The girls hoped that Desmond would be able to distinguish the reality of the place even as the Gardener presented Desmond with a whitewashed version of its truth. A final place in the novel in which reality and illusion collide comes when the girls are rescued from the Garden. Inara tries to explain to the parents that it will be some time before the girls’ real lives and real identities feel real to them again.