The Ballpoint and Dip Pens

In the novel’s opening pages, Mel deliberately contrasts her dip pen with a twenty-first century ballpoint pen: together, the two symbolize a balanced historical perspective. While the dip pen may seem romantic to a modern reader, in reality it is unreliable and frustrating. Ballpoints seem prosaic but are actually a sophisticated technology. The two pens mark the beginning and the end of Mel’s story, as she signs on to DODO with the ballpoint and remembers her story with the dip pen: they represent her movement through time and the perspective she gains by comparing her past (in the future) with her present (in the past).

Hair Gel

The novel frequently uses exterior characteristics to denote internal qualities; an excellent example is Gráinne’s observation about hair gel’s ability to index a man’s ability to understand others. Tristan...