Beading as Creation

The epigraphs before each section as well as the actions certain female characters within the novel serve to construct and develop the theme of portraying beading as creation. The epigraphs tell the story of twin women who “sew this world into being” using dark and light beads to create “the fabric of the earth” (8, 67). The insertion of this legend throughout the entirety of the novel validates the importance of this theme.

Mary and Zosie’s characters seem to be modeled off of the magical creation twins in the epigraphs. They use their beading to create their desired future: keeping Augustus enthralled with them as well as unsure of their individual identities. Although he watched them bead, he “never saw the stitch work that kept him sewed to their side” (40). Just as the creation twins used their beads to create the world as a whole...