Someone You Can Build a Nest In

The nest is the novel’s central symbol, representing the elusive ideals of safety, belonging, and family. It contrasts the nourishing self-sacrifice of a loving home with the inherited toxicity of an abusive one, directly exploring the theme of Building Family Through Care Instead of Inheritance. The novel opens with Shesheshen’s memory of her first nest: the body of her father, whose remains provided both sustenance and shelter. This act, though gruesome by human standards, establishes a baseline for perfect parental love. The narrative states: “If Shesheshen could have spent her entire life inside the nest of his remains, she would have” (3). This nostalgic longing for a place of absolute security, created through a loving sacrifice, shapes her entire existence. Her quest is not for power or conquest but for a partner with whom she can recreate that sense of home.

This symbol culminates in Shesheshen’s relationship with Homily, whose body she initially views as a potential nest for her eggs. However, as their bond deepens, the meaning of the nest evolves from a site of biological reproduction to one of mutual emotional construction. The novel’s title— Someone You Can Build a Nest In—signifies this shift from a parasitic to a collaborative act.