Julavits’s view on brand new much time-term relationships from the tale is sometimes pessimistic
When Violet phone calls their spouse Shane just before the wedding and he is perhaps not home, “a part of their own thinks she need to find some meaning inside the point that Shane is not home to morale their particular, that she’s already been forced to-do the best question
Reflective surfaces, prisms-this type of body once again on story regarding Violet’s Granny Rose and you can Grandfather Joe. Granny Flower believes he’s fated to be to one another as into their date that is first, when she nervously broke a wine flute and you will Joe recited an excellent poetic Chinese claiming Rose’s parent are fond of. Afterwards, when planning flowers, Grandma Rose shatters a windows vase. Next within prenuptial luncheon, immediately after a good spat which have Joe, Rose hits their own fruit juice glass towards flooring and you can breaks it. “I partnered an inappropriate guy,” she says following grinds brand new broken cup so you can dirt having their own heel. That it visualize provides in your thoughts the fresh Jewish relationship heritage where the newest groom breaks a glass together with his feet, and therefore signifies (one of many other one thing) the fresh bride’s loss of purity. Flower possess appear to given up the brand new unsuspecting illusions she carried towards the their particular relationship, illusions based largely for the an excellent Chinese claiming Joe acquired out-of the particular owner from an effective mah-jongg parlor which in hopes your it “Work ladies’ such as for instance attraction.” Likewise, Louis recalls a scene out of his past where his mom, close demise, hurls their father’s observe in the your, believing in her delirium that Louis is actually their own lifeless spouse. The latest watch’s crystal holidays along with his mom says, “The main one, usually the one, you had been usually the one. Bah!” Such as Granny Rose, their own illusions about their unique spouse have started smashed.