Recurring Themes

Here are a few of the things I found that seemed to permeate almost every story in this book. I just found it interesting that so many stories with such different concepts, would rely on some of the strangest items.

1. Color - Ok, so the not so subtle green in Louise's Ghost of course/ the green again in Vanishing Act/ Travels with the Snow Queen relies a lot on both black and white as contrasts, but also a lot of blue/ "Rose" Read (red?) in Flying Lessons/ The black dogs/ the gray of Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose

2. Shoes - Shoe and Marriage, need I expound?/ the boots of the robber girl in Travels with the Snow Queen/dancing shoes in The Girl Detective/ not a shoe, but the lower leg of Mrs. Rook which was somewhat of an "accessory"

3. Teeth - Jasper's broken tooth in Survivor's Ball, etc/ teeth of the black dogs/The Specialist's Hat has teeth/ the crumbling teeth in Travel's with the Snow Queen/ the teeth of Louise's Ghost/the gnashing teeth of the guest at Survivor's Ball/ Miss Rhode Island has "too many teeth" and the dictator's wife's false teeth in Shoe and Marriage/the dog's (presumably Cerberus's) teeth at the entrance of Hell in Flying Lessons

4. Blended/Separated Families - The twins in the Specialist's Hat must go live with their father/ Humphrey's dad gives him to his sisters (the 4 aunts) in Flying Lessons/ Anna's dad (1st, you wonder, which number is he? then, find out he's got another life and isn't one of the 8 cellists) in Louise's Ghost/Jenny Rose stays with her aunt and uncle in Vanishing Act/


Others: water, fire, birds(everywhere), infidelity, dreams, letters, numbers, scent/sense of smell, I could go on for a while.

Let me know if y'all have any other ideas. I know it's a little late, but bring them to class.