79 pages • 2 hours read
Kristin HannahFirefly Lane
Kristin HannahFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2008A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
“Dancing Queen”
Hannah peppers the text with various pop culture references to ground readers in a specific time period. However, ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” appears in several places and serves a greater purpose. The first time Hannah mentions “Dancing Queen,” Tully and Kate have snuck out to a keg party after Gran’s death. When the song plays, Tully loses herself and shakes her grief and anger for a moment. Over the course of the song, Kate also lets go, and Tully notices how beautiful Kate is at that moment. At this point, the song is symbolic of freedom and joy. The song resurfaces at a fraternity party during the girls’ freshman year at college. As Kate talks to a guy outside, Tully pulls her away to dance. Tully is dragging her friend toward a symbol of their shared experience and the opportunity to shake off any regret or dissatisfaction. Readers encounter the song one last time as Tully puts headphones on and dances outside of Kate’s funeral. By this time, the song symbolizes her and Kate’s shared youth and joy, and it also reminds Tully of the beauty that she saw in her friend, physically while they danced and emotionally as they spent the remainder of Kate’s life together.
Bainbridge Island
Not long after the birth of their first child, Johnny and Kate move to Bainbridge Island, a picturesque island accessible by ferry from Seattle, where Kate is physically separated from her former life by the Puget Sound. The island symbolizes Kate’s isolation as she sinks further into her domestic responsibilities, essentially cutting her off from other pursuits. For Tully, the island serves as a visual reminder of the Ryan family that she can see from both her penthouse apartment and her office in downtown Seattle. Tully looks toward the island and often envies the Ryans, who, like the island, are able to function independently, as they have each other to sustain them. When Kate and Tully are not speaking, Tully goes so far as to change offices to avoid the view of the island that so clearly represents Kate and her family.
Macaroni Necklace
When Cloud comes to Gran’s house to collect 10-year-old Tully, Tully gives her mother a handmade macaroni necklace. When Cloud does not put the necklace on or acknowledge it in any way, Tully is hurt: She wants her mother’s love and approval. As the years pass, Cloud is in and out of Tully’s life, but she is always adamant that she cannot take care of Tully, suggesting to Tully that she doesn’t want to be a part of her life. However, when Tully goes to the hospital after her mother has overdosed, she finds the macaroni necklace among her mother’s possessions. At this moment, the necklace symbolizes Cloud’s affection for her daughter and the possibility that a relationship of some sort can be rekindled.
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By Kristin Hannah
