Life After Life

Life After Life

by

Kate Atkinson

Darkness and the Black Bat

Darkness and the black bat are both two symbols that Atkinson uses to represent Ursula’s changing attitude towards death. The phrase “darkness falls” ends nearly every chapter in which Ursula dies, and she describes being…

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Snow

Snow represents both rebirth and the unpredictability of life. It is found most prevalently in the scene of Ursula’s birth, during which there is a giant snowstorm. Dr. Fellowes and Mrs. Haddock are both…

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Hands

In the novel, hands symbolize support in times of crisis (particularly in the case of family members), and how that support can ultimately be life-saving. Holding hands first comes up when Hugh takes Ursula’s…

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