New York

New York (and Manhattan specifically) physicalizes the intimate and often mysterious interconnectedness between seemingly disparate lives. Throughout the novel, Lewis includes descriptions of random or mundane occurrences on the streets of New York. These details help to capture the frenetic, bustling energy of life in the city; they create a sense that physical closeness leads, inevitably, to a deeper entwinement. By weaving subtle yet profound connections between his four central stories, all set in Manhattan, Lewis identifies New York itself as a vessel for unusual interconnection and interdependence.

Cameras

Cameras represent the possibility of clear, true sight for Stephanie. In the wake of her mother’s death, Stephanie takes up photography because of its association, for her, with grief. In this way, she uses photography as a mode of comprehension and reflection. Upon her return to New York after many years abroad, Stephanie takes photographs...