73 pages • 2-hour read
Strangers in Time
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death by suicide, illness, and death.
Rationing
The motif of rationing appears throughout the book to illustrate the supposedly shared conditions of scarcity during wartime and expose how the poorest members of society are more intensely affected by shortages. This motif contributes to the theme of Class Influence on Wartime Experiences, as those from the lower classes must deal with an additional level of precarity during the war years. Charlie and Gran use all their wages and pocket money for rent and bills, so they rely on rationed goods for their daily meals. The text shows that any meals that contain unrationed goods are treated like a special occasion, like when Gran saves up so she and Charlie can finally have a “nice meal […] with a pudding and custard after” (79). Gran frequently references the years before rationing when they could afford to shop at food stalls and cafes, which illustrates how their already frugal lives are reduced even further by wartime rationing.
The wealthy must also abide by rationing rules, but they have enough money to afford purchases of other unrestricted goods. Gran goes on several tirades about the rich hotel patrons who dine on elaborate meals while the rest of the city starves. For poor families like Gran and Charlie, life revolves around rationing and how to stretch what little food the families have before they can restock. Some days, Charlie has a single meal of an apple when he and Gran are in between restocks. The ration book appears throughout the text as a reality of wartime life, but the narrative emphasizes the fact that for some communities, that reality is much harsher.
The War Effort
Characters frequently refer to the “war effort” when discussing any action that benefits the fight against Germany. The motif of the war effort helps to illustrate the social atmosphere of the novel’s historic era, in which a collectivist mindset permeated everyday decisions, developing the theme of The Importance of Community During Times of Trouble. Synonymous with the war effort is what Gran calls “Blitz Spirit,” which requires people to put aside their individual feelings of discomfort for the greater good while Britain is under attack. Rationing is one example of Blitz Spirit, but adhering to blackout protocols is another. As Charlie and Ignatius separately meander the streets of London, they notice the ways private homes, businesses, and public spaces have all made themselves as dark as possible to hinder the Germans’ nighttime bombings.
Several characters also take up new roles to contribute to wartime activities. For example, Ignatius works as an air raid warden to protect and rescue citizens from bombings, and Molly works as a nurse to help treat soldiers and citizens affected by German bombardments. Molly explicitly claims that she takes on this role because “it was the least [she] could do” for the soldiers who are risking their lives (255). Desdemona also makes a point to look out for suspicious behavior. Although her spying threatens Ignatius’s secret counter-espionage mission, Desdemona sees it as her duty as a British citizen to watch for and report nefarious behavior. Throughout the text, characters carefully consider their actions based on what will benefit the war effort, reflecting the mindset of citizens on the British home front during World War II.
Books and Writing
The motif of books and writing illuminates the theme of The Traumatic Effects of War on the Body and Mind, as several characters believe in the power of stories to alleviate suffering. Imogen often told Ignatius that books are like their own form of sustenance for the soul and that books are “a wonderful way to get through troubling times” (45). Books at once offer an escape while helping readers understand their own predicaments. For example, Ignatius thinks Molly’s choice to read Mansfield Park is fitting for her situation as a recent transplant to London, as the main character also learns to navigate a new setting. Ignatius believes the story might offer comfort to Molly as she transitions back into city life.
Writing has a similarly comforting power. Before her death, Imogen tries writing a book about the war and the complex feelings of anger, distrust, and terror the era evokes. Imogen experienced her own turbulent emotions, and by writing, she sought to make sense of what she was feeling and witnessing. Lonzo and Charlie also find solace in writing. Lonzo, despite his poor spelling, pens a simple apology to Eddie to ease his guilt for his friend’s death. Charlie, too, writes in the journal to make sense of his complicated emotions, like when he writes about his apprehension to deliver death notices to families of soldiers. Charlie continues this habit into adulthood, and though he doesn’t share his writing with others, the simple act of writing helps him deal with this traumatic era of his life.
Unlock the meaning behind every key symbol & motif
See how recurring imagery, objects, and ideas shape the narrative.
- Explore how the author builds meaning through symbolism
- Understand what symbols & motifs represent in the text
- Connect recurring ideas to themes, characters, and events