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Frederic and Maria sat nestled together in a corner of the back chamber; dusky twilight had come on, and they felt quite gloomy and fearful, for, as was commonly the case on this day, no light was brought in to them.
This quotation, which comes from the very first scene in the story, establishes the Stahlbaum household as a bleak and stifling environment. The literal darkness that falls upon the children as they wait for their parents symbolizes the metaphorical darkness that characterizes their practical, regimented lives. While Dr. and Mrs. Stahlbaum eventually allow their children into the brightly decorated parlor, the mood that Hoffmann establishes through this opening image lingers throughout the remainder of the story.
Maria did so; but scarcely had she gone up the sleeve—scarcely had she seen her way out at the collar, when a dazzling light broke forth upon her, and all at once she stood upon a sweet-smelling meadow, surrounded by millions of sparks, which darted up like flashing jewels. "We are now upon Candy Meadow," said Nutcracker; "but we will directly pass through yonder gate."
Contrary to the world of the Stahlbaum house, the Puppet Kingdom is incredibly vibrant and full of life. The imagery that Hoffmann uses in this scene, such as “dazzling light” and “flashing jewels,” calls attention to the joyful mood of the Nutcracker’s world, and the candy motif makes this environment a child’s dream come true. Regardless of whether or not the Puppet Kingdom is a figment of Maria’s imagination, her journey there offers her a kind of freedom that she could never find within the confines of the Stahlbaum house.
But prettier than all this were the charming little people, who, by thousands, pushed and squeezed, knocked their heads together, huzzaed, laughed, jested, and sang—who had raised indeed that merry din which Maria had heard at a distance. Here were beautifully-dressed men and women, Armenians and Greeks, Jews and Tyrolese, officers and soldiers, preachers, shepherds, and harlequins—in short, all the people that can possibly be found in the world.
When Maria and the Nutcracker finally arrive in the Puppet Kingdom’s capital, Confectionville, she is amazed by how many different types of people come to welcome their prince home. Confectionville functions as a microcosm of the Puppet Kingdom as a whole, representing the diverse people and places that fall under the Nutcracker’s domain. This setting contrasts significantly with the Stahlbaums’ world as Hoffmann never gives the reader a glimpse of what lies outside the walls of their house. By creating this dichotomy, Hoffmann is able to emphasize the infinite nature of imagination and critique the limitations of reality.
