Jane's Leather Jacket

Jane’s leather jacket is a symbol for her involvement in the early LGBTQ rights movement. The jacket signals her experience in the 1960s when cross-dressing to rebel against gender stereotypes was deeply rooted in queer culture. While Jane exists within the twenty first century throughout the narrative present, her character’s identity is grounded in her past life and experiences as a gay woman in the 1970s. The jacket serves as a reminder to the reader that Jane is from an early point in history.

Missed Connections Ads

The missed connections ads, that appear at the beginning of severely chapters, symbolize the anomalous connection between August and Jane. While other people met Jane on the subway, and felt that they had a connection with her, August is the only character who can help Jane remember her past. The personal ads signal to the...