Importance of Invisibility

Lily's 'power' of invisibility symbolizes her reserved and often overlooked personality. When she says she feels invisible, what she means is that she feels her mother, Sam, or whoever else she is speaking to does not see her for who she is, or does not hear her meaning though they may hear her words. Lily, in other words, feels utterly misunderstood. When she says that she feels 'seen,' however, it means that she feels she is being taken seriously and her meaning is being acknowledged, such as when she speaks with Jensen and is instantly made comfortable through Jensen's acknowledgement of her presence and personality.