White Bird: A Wonder Story

Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Middle Grade | Published in 2019

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Epigraph-Part 1, Chapters 1-10

Part 2, Chapters 1-6

Part 3, Chapters 1-5 and Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Symbols & Motifs

White Bird

The white bird is an important symbol in the book. As the title of the book, it is derived from the poetry of Jewish American poet, Muriel Rukeyser. The specific excerpt appears in the epigraph of the book. The image of the white bird itself makes multiple appearances throughout the book and symbolizes different things in each context, with the common underlying idea being that of freedom.

The white bird first makes an appearance in the game Sara plays with her Papa; it makes a similar appearance at the scene of Julien’s death, as he appears to lift off from the ground just as Sara does in the game, as he dies. In this context, the white bird serves as a symbol for freedom: in Sara’s case, the freedom of childhood; in Julien’s case, the freedom from worldly and bodily constraints.

The bird also appears in instances where Sara daydreams or doodles in her sketchbook. Besides appearing as a character in her sketches, the white bird is depicted as flying out the window even as Sara is hiding in the barn. Here, the bird symbolizes Sara’s imagination, which is free to roam even when she is not. In a similar manner, the bird travels to Maman in Sara’s dream; it witnesses Julian at the protest on Grandmère’s behalf; it even wakes Sara up when Vincent arrives at the barn. In these depictions, the bird symbolizes intuition—something akin to imagination—which, once again, is free of physical and chronological constraints.

The white bird also symbolizes the soul. Flocks of white birds depict the lost lives of the maquisards, and a white bird perches on the Beaumiers’ gravestone. Once again, there is an association of freedom. The maquisards’ souls relieved of the pain and violence of the war, and Julien and his parents similarly free of worldly suffering.

Bluebells

Bluebells symbolize new beginnings in the book. They first appear when Sara describes how they bloom in the forest during spring. At other times, especially winter, the forest is a dark and scary place, but the emergence of the bluebells turns the woods magical. Sara and her parents frequent these woods when the bluebells are in bloom, and it is a time when she feels carefree and light. Spring is commonly associated with things beginning anew, and the bluebells blooming only in spring represents a similar association.

The bluebells reappear the night of Sara’s birthday, when Julien takes her for a walk in the forest. It is significant that they appear here, as this is when Sara and Julien confess their love for each other, and Sara begins to dream again of a life after the war. Sara and Julien’s kiss is set against the backdrop of bluebells in the moonlight; they represent the hope for a better future—new beginnings—that has begun to blossom.

Wolf

The wolf as a symbol evolves in meaning over the course of the book. It is initially presented at a mysterious and dangerous figure, roaming the Mernuit forest in winter. The woods themselves represent what is innate and ‘natural’ to human beings, and the wolf that inhabits the woods initially symbolizes the darker and more cruel instincts of humanity. However, there is an air of mystery or the unknown about the wolf, owing to the legends that surround it. This becomes significant for recurring appearances of the wolf, and what it eventually reveals.

The wolf as it appears in Sara’s dreams is still a horrifying figure, representative of the danger that lurks all around her. However, when Sara meets the wolf in the forest, rather than moving to attack her, it protects her. Shortly after, Sara discovers that the Lafleurs, whom she believed to be Nazi supporters, are Jewish allies. Just as the mysterious wolf which initially posed a threat ended up being a protector, so too do the Lafleurs, as they help the Beaumiers keep Sara safe for the remainder of the war.

The wolf, thus, represents two things over the course of its evolution as a symbol. Initially, it points to the human instinct for violence. Eventually, it comes to represent how lack of information can lead one to misperceive threats where none exist. This is applicable not only to the Lafleurs, but also to all stereotypes and resultant prejudice that exists about different groups of people in society, including about the Jews during the Nazi regime.

Sketchbook

Sara’s sketchbook is a plot device that also functions as an important and relevant symbol. It plays a key role in the relationship between Julien and Sara and impacts their lives in significant ways. The sketchbook leads to the first conversation between them; it causes Vincent to follow Julien and attack him in the barn; it reveals Sara’s hiding place to Vincent; it alerts Sara to Julien’s fate.

The sketchbook is a place where Sara’s hopes, dreams, and desires find a place to live outside her. Initially a place for her doodles, she eventually pours her dreams for the future as well as her confession of love for Julien, into the book. The book, thus, becomes a symbol of hope. When Julien steals it from Pastor Luc’s office and brings it to Sara, it is symbolic of his desire to give Sara hope in dark times. However, this leads to him being attacked by Vincent, symbolic of how precarious the circumstances are, and how hope remains a dangerous thing.

Sara’s confession of love for Julien lives in this book, and it represents a hope for a future together. Significantly, it is left behind when Julien is arrested, only to fall into Vincent’s hands, and eventually Sara’s. This is symbolic of how there is no longer hope of a future for Julien. He meets his death shortly after. Sara, however, who regains her sketchbook, lives to see the end of the war, living a long life after its conclusion.