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Especially in the beginning of the novel, Sophie Amundsen reads her letters from Alberto Knox in her “den”—a tiny, secure area in the hedge surrounding her family’s house. As the novel goes on, however, Sophie becomes more adventurous, traveling first around the house, then around the town, and finally out of the work of fiction itself to learn more about philosophy. In this way, the hedge is a safe, womb-like space from which Sophie must emerge as she gains more confidence, bravery, and curiosity.
Get the entire Sophie’s World LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Hedge / Sophie’s Den Symbol Timeline in Sophie’s World
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Hedge / Sophie’s Den appears in Sophie’s World. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: The Garden of Eden
...this question either. This makes Sophie so upset that she decides to go to her secret“den”—the area where she likes to be when she’s confused, angry, or happy.
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The narrator describes Sophie’s house—it’s red, with a garden outside. There’s a small gazebo outside, whichSophie’s grandfather built for Granny after their first child,...
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Alone in the hedge, Sophie returns to the two questions in the letters. Sophie imagines that the world is...
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Chapter 10: The Major’s Cabin
...human can think about philosophical matters. She sends her own letter by placing it near herden with a lump of sugar on top.
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Chapter 16: The Renaissance
...a beret. In the dream, the girl drops a small gold crucifix. Sophie wakes up suddenly, realizing that she’s been dreaming. Underneath her pillow, she finds the gold crucifix.Sophie is bewildered...
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Chapter 26: Romanticism
In the book, Sophie walks along the hedge by her house. She meets up with Joanna, and together they have a great time...
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