Importance of Buildings

Throughout the novel, various buildings take on metonymic symbolism as icons of the country in which they reside. For example, while passing the U.S. Capitol building, Grace feels “its quiet majesty” (148), symbolizing the post-war status that America enjoyed coming off the defeat of the Axis. By a similar note, Marie notes that the Sacré Coeur Basilica in Paris is “defiant and dazzling” (170). Although France is occupied by Germany, the Basilica remains “defiant” against the invasion, reflecting the efforts of Marie and the French Resistance to undermine the German occupation.