51 pages • 1 hour read
The Bones Beneath My Skin
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Symbols & Motifs
The Cabin
Content Warning: This section of the guide contains references to anti-gay bias.
In The Bones Beneath My Skin, Nate’s family’s cabin functions not just as a setting, but also as a dynamic motif that embodies the narrative’s thematic concerns. Initially introduced as Nate’s inheritance from his deceased parents, the cabin provides a physical representation of Nate’s conflicted feelings of loss and grief, constantly reminding him of the parents who rejected him. This duality—of safety in isolation versus constant remembrance—establishes the cabin as a space in which past trauma and potential healing paradoxically coexist.
This tension evolves as the three characters gradually form more meaningful connections within the cabin’s walls. Through their shared meals, conversations, and domestic routines, the trio transforms the cabin into a physical manifestation of their chosen family, directly supporting the theme of The Healing Influence of Found Family. However, the cabin’s isolation also serves multiple narrative functions related to the Tension between Love and Control. Its remote location initially appears to offer refuge from outside surveillance, but the arrival of Randy demonstrates that even this apparent sanctuary remains vulnerable. When Nate, Art, and Alex decide to flee the cabin, they are rejecting the cabin’s fragile illusion of security for a more genuine (if precarious) version of freedom.
The novel’s epilogue brings the cabin motif full circle through the trio’s decision to reside in another remote dwelling in Newfoundland. This second cabin, where they have lived together for 18 years, showcases the sustainability of their found family bonds. By echoing the original setting while showing the trio’s evolution from temporary companions to permanent family members, this final cabin incarnation demonstrates that physical spaces can be transformed through the relationships that they contain.
Wounds
The symbol of wounds appears consistently throughout the novel, functioning on both a literal and a metaphorical level, and ultimately representing psychological trauma, healing, and transformation. Alex’s mysterious wound serves as the most prominent manifestation—appearing as a red, inflamed spot on Alex’s skin, with a circular indentation that resembled a wound. However, there doesn’t seem to be an open wound, and this mystery confounds Nate’s expectations about Alex’s perceived level of injury. This partially healed wound becomes a metaphor for the novel’s thematic focus on The Impact of Loss and Grief, suggesting that emotional trauma may appear superficially healed even as it continues to influence behavior and relationships.
The peculiar nature of Alex’s wound—which is healed by Art’s telekinetic abilities—demonstrates both physical and emotional healing. This connection supports The Tension between Love and Control by contrasting Art’s healing powers (exercised through care) against the Mountain facility’s malicious willingness to inflict wounds for the purposes of experimentation and control. Alex’s wound thus becomes evidence of both institutional violence and personal care and healing.
Throughout the narrative, wounds denote both physical injuries and the emotional trauma carried by the characters. Nate’s unresolved grief regarding his parents appears as a psychological wound that initially prevents him from forming new connections. Along with this, his admission that he feels angry rather than sad about their deaths reveals that his unhealed emotional injuries continue to shape his interactions. The narrative ultimately connects the symbol of wounds to The Healing Influence of Found Family, especially when the characters recognize each other’s injuries. Their collective healing occurs not by erasing these wounds but by acknowledging them within a context of acceptance.
Names
Throughout the narrative, the character’s names function on a symbolic level, and each name reveals the essence of the character in question while simultaneously marking the various inner transformations that occur. For example, Art’s self-selected name “Artemis Darth Vader” immediately signals her difference—her name is very self-consciously created, and it incorporates elements of both pop culture and Greek mythology. In this way, her name marks her as someone “other.”
Additionally, Nate’s relationship with his own name connects to the novel’s focus on The Impact of Loss and Grief, especially as he works through his complex feelings about his inheritance. His surname, “Cartwright,” carries the weight of his parents’ rejection while simultaneously representing his complicated and difficult family legacy. This tension between inheritance and rejection shows that grief can exist within complex emotional landscapes. Finally, the narrative’s epilogue provides the most significant name transformation, revealing that all three characters have adopted new identities; Nate becomes “Nolan” and Alex becomes “Aaron,” while Art ultimately chooses the name of “Ellie.” These changes serve as practical protection from authorities but also symbolize the characters’ psychological evolution into new versions of themselves. Through this symbolic treatment of names, the text suggests that authentic identity emerges not through fixed designations but through ongoing self-awareness and authentic growth.
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By T. J. Klune
