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Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
The Origami Swan
The origami swan symbolizes deception, hidden intentions, and the intricacy of the characters’ plans. Appearing throughout the novel at critical moments, the swan acts as a marker of betrayal and manipulation. For Evie, finding the swan in the bank safe serves as the final clue that George is Mr. Smith, revealing how every layer of the plot has been carefully folded to conceal the truth. The swan’s delicate appearance contrasts with its underlying role as a harbinger of danger, symbolizing the novel’s theme that the most intricate deceptions are often hidden in plain sight.
The House with a Garden
The house with a garden represents Evie’s yearning for stability, identity, and a sense of belonging—something that has always felt out of reach in her chaotic life. Throughout the novel, Evie repeatedly envisions herself living in a quiet house with a beautiful garden, a dream that symbolizes not only a desire for safety but also a longing to reclaim her identity. This vision is rooted in her childhood memories of her mother, who fantasized about a better life for them both, believing that having a nice home would finally give them freedom and happiness. For Evie, the house becomes a powerful metaphor: a place where she could finally stop running, where she could exist as herself instead of slipping between fabricated identities.
By the end of the novel, Evie’s dream of a house with a garden takes on new meaning. She comes to understand that the dream is not about a physical place—it is about the freedom to exist authentically, without pretense or fear. Evie realizes that even if she achieves the house and garden, it will never be as simple or idyllic as she imagined—her past will always be a part of her, and the person she has become is shaped by the lies, losses, and betrayals she has endured.
The Tate Security System
The Tate security system reflects the intricate and isolating web of manipulation that Evie has to navigate in this world. The labyrinthine maze of alarms, decoys, and hidden objectives mirrors the life she leads—constantly second-guessing her surroundings, decoding cryptic instructions, and working in isolation. Just as the security system leads intruders to believe the trophy room is the main target, Mr. Smith gives his operatives assignments with misleading objectives. Evie learns the hard way that the real task is not always the one she is given—success requires seeing through the misdirection. At the Tate house, this means realizing the trophy room is a decoy and finding the true prize hidden in an unexpected place: a painting in the laundry room cabinet. In her broader work for Mr. Smith, it means recognizing that her missions are never what they seem, and her survival depends on uncovering hidden truths.
