Igdrasil

Igdrasil is symbolic of wisdom, continuity and stability in the face of change. Human life is fleeting and its course predestined, in the shadow of this ancient tree, which towers over the house. Darius Duff described Yggdrasil – a sacred tree in Norse mythology – to Tom as “the tree of existence. Its roots watered by the fates of past, present, and future. Its top reaching to heaven and stirring the colors of the rainbow. Its bower spreading over the whole universe” (18). The tree plays a paradoxical role, representing the intertwined nature of personal and universal stories; of individual worlds and human experience throughout history. It is a comforting, shady presence in the Harrys’ backyard, a sort of family member akin to “a dog or a cat” (18). But it also evokes grand mysteries and timeless folklore – and it is a formidable rather than protective presence during the thunderstorm...