Symbols
Burnt Face
Julian's burnt face is a symbol for the change that occurs in Julian. It symbolizes his transformation from Julian, the author to Lain Coubert, the villain from his novel. He wrote books for Penelope, the women who he loved, and believed that she had read them. Penelope was the only reason why he wrote the books. When he realizes that Penelope died years ago along with his unborn child and never had the chance to read any of his books, he decides to burn all of his books. He sets a building full of his books on fire and attempts to kill himself while doing so, but is unable to and instead ends up badly burnt. The burnt face becomes the face of Lain Coubert, the villain of Julian Carax's novels as he attempts to find all of his novels and burn them. |
Shadows
"Some things can only be seen in the shadows"(4) "Soon afterward, like figures made of steam, father and son disappear into the crowd of the Ramblas, their steps lost forever in the shadow of the wind."(487) Shadows, which are continuously brought up in the novel, are a symbol of the unknown and create a sense of mystery. An example would be when Daniel's father tells him that The Cemetery of Forgotten Books can only be seen in the shadows. Very few individuals actually know about The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, which makes it highly secretive and mysterious. Other characters and places are also described using the term shadow and it creates an element of mystery. A prime example would be Julian, because many times in the novel he appears to be hidden in the shadows. |
Montblanc Meisterstuck fountain pen or the "Victor Hugo" pen
The Montblanc Meisterstuck fountain pen is a symbol for the connection between Daniel and Julian. It helps draw another parallel between the two characters lives. Both of these individuals possessed this pen at some point in the novel and it was given to them by someone who cared for them. For Daniel his father bought it for him on his sixteenth birthday because he wanted to become a writer as a child. In Julian's case, Nuria Monfort bought the pen for Julian as a gift, but decided not to give it to him. She sold it to the store where Daniel's father ended up buying it from. At the end of the novel the pen is given to Julian by Daniel, who tells him to write again and he does.
The Montblanc Meisterstuck fountain pen is a symbol for the connection between Daniel and Julian. It helps draw another parallel between the two characters lives. Both of these individuals possessed this pen at some point in the novel and it was given to them by someone who cared for them. For Daniel his father bought it for him on his sixteenth birthday because he wanted to become a writer as a child. In Julian's case, Nuria Monfort bought the pen for Julian as a gift, but decided not to give it to him. She sold it to the store where Daniel's father ended up buying it from. At the end of the novel the pen is given to Julian by Daniel, who tells him to write again and he does.