Impressionism

Jodi Picoult uses art from the Impressionism movement to symbolize the idea that no one can trust their own perception, and sometimes, people need to adjust their perspectives to see the entire picture. Her father shows her that when she is close to a painting, she cannot see anything but brushstrokes. When she views it from a distance, she can see a cityscape. Henry Toulouse-Lautrec himself said, “What you see… is not really what you are getting” (88). This idea features heavily into the story, indicating that Diana is not looking at her relationship with Finn closely enough, and she is unable to see that her time in the Galápagos is a dream while she is there.

Isabela Island

Isabela Island simultaneously reflects the loneliness Diana feels in her life with Finn and the freedom she craves from venturing out on her own. Isabela Island is...