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The Night Circus Symbolism

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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is a tale detailing the lives of two illusionists, Celia and Marco, who are bound to one another in a to-the-death battle in the Les Cirque des Rệves, or the Circus of Dreams (Magic 3 ☺). Celia and Marco spend their lives attempting to outperform each other while creating unforgettable shows and inexplicably fall in love. As the years pass, there needs to be a victor and a loser. But the game does not care for love or reluctant participants, and the strain becomes impossible to bear. Some important symbols are the bonfire, Celia’s ring, and the clock.

One symbol that has been present the entire novel is the bonfire. Its flames are never put out: “The bonfire never goes out… It has burned steadily since …show more content…
The clock is a centerpiece, located in the circus, and is very ornate and imposing: “At first glance it is simply a clock… Well, crafted, obviously… but just a clock. But that is before it is wound… Then, then it becomes something else" (Morgenstern 88). During midday, the clock is white and enclosed, but as the day goes by, it gradually unfolds into an ornate and imposing masterpiece by midnight. Then it begins to close again, signaling the end of the circus. The clock is used to add surrealness to the circus but is also serves as a countdown to the inevitable end to the circus. The circus was created to serve as an arena for Celia and Marcus’s competition, and like all things, it must end. The clock also represents Marco’s life, similar to the bonfire. As the clock transforms from day to night to day, the colors of the fire change, representing changes in Marco’s life. As the reader can tell, the clock is very important as a timepiece and symbol.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is full of objects of symbolism. I found meaning in the bonfire, Celia’s ring, as well as the clock. There was lots of meaning to be found throughout the novel. Its plot is detailed and the story is very intricate. Interesting conflicts made the book a real page-turner. In the end, Celia and Marcus were able to be together and the Les Cirque des Rệves

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