What do Babe's Scars represent?

Babe’s scars symbolize imperfection and vulnerability in The Swans of Fifth Avenue. The scars were caused by a terrible automobile accident when Babe was 19 years old and the subsequent plastic surgeries that she underwent to restore her appearance. Babe's obsessive need to hide these "flaws" serves as a metaphor for the rest of the characters. Each person in the novel has a vulnerability that makes them feel at risk for social ruin if revealed. Although they run in an elite social circle, the Swans must hide the scars of their pasts—whether they be physical, like Babe’s, or behavioral, like C. Z’s.