52 pages • 1 hour read
Before We Were Strangers
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Symbols & Motifs
New York City
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of substance use.
New York City is the primary backdrop for the novel. This iconic urban location symbolizes possibility and exploration. When Matt first moves there from California, he feels overwhelmed and alone. At the same time, he hopes that this Eastern city will offer him the opportunities he couldn’t find on the West Coast. He soon discovers all the excitement that New York has to offer when he and Grace Starr become friends. The bustling metropolis grants Matt and Grace a place to explore, adventure, and change together. The way Matt describes New York in Chapter 6 captures the transformative role the setting plays in the protagonists’ personal and shared journeys: “New York has an energy that takes root inside of you […] When you hear her sound, when you breathe in her scent, you share it with all the people walking beside you […] Grace and I were falling in love with her together” (57-58).
In this passage and throughout the novel, Matt personifies New York City. He refers to the city using female pronouns, thus likening the setting to a woman. This Plus, gain access to 9,200+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
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