Maple tree

The maple tree in the forest in Caiette is a symbol of the anomaly. Both Edwin St. Andrew and Vincent Smith are standing in front of the tree when they hear the violin and hydraulics and experience the sensation of being in two places at once. Walking into the forest in Part 1, Chapter 7, Edwin heads straight for the tree while thinking, "It's like stepping into a cathedral" (27), language that reflects the idea of being in two places at the same time.

Burrs

The burrs that Olive Llewellyn finds in her sock while visiting Texas are a symbol of the exoticism of life on Earth for this character who grew up on a moon colony. She notes that the burrs are "a castoff from some mysterious plant they didn't have in the moon colonies" (71) and saves them to show her daughter, Sylvie, when she returns from...