The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart

In the beginning, Alice thinks “...life is lived forward but only understood backward. You can’t see the landscape you’re in while you’re in it” (10-11). What does this quote mean? Compare your interpretation with Alice’s.

Analyze the use of fairy tale and mythological references, such as selkies, phoenixes, the Aboriginal Heart Garden, Candy’s Alice Blue story, the Bulgarian wolf and fox, and the Japanese gold paint of repair. What purpose do these references serve? What does each story signify? Support your answer with textual evidence.

Analyze a symbol, motif, or theme not described in this Guide. If a symbol, what does it represent and why? If a theme, how is it presented, and what is the implication of this message? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.