The Etching on the Cell Wall

At the beginning of the novel, the edging on the wall in Ansel Packer's cell - which reads “We Are All Rabid” - seems to represent the sense of himself that Packer shares with his fellow inmates. As the novel unfolds, however, the comment can be seen as referencing, and foreshadowing, the different ways that the three other main characters - Lavender, Saffy, and Hazel - are all "rabid" in their own ways. "Rabid" here is used metaphorically, to represent the unpredictable, sometimes obsessive ways that people behave in response to aspects of their identity and circumstances.

Lavender’s Locket

Whenever it appears in the narrative, Lavender's locket represents safety and a capacity for caring. It is in many ways the primary symbolic manifestation of the novel's thematic interests in compassion and love.

The Three Trinkets

The three trinkets that Ansel...