Butterflies
Throughout his childhood, Vladimir develops an obsession with butterflies, and by the time he's an adult, he's a full-scale lepidopterist. In nonfiction, you may be unsure about calling a real thin...
Bicycles, Trains, & Cars
In the same way butterflies have wings, bikes, trains, and cars have wheels, and with them, they move. Freedom of movement is a significant motif in "Speak, Memory," and Vladimir's obsession with a...
Mirrors, Marbles & Window Glass
It's not hard to see the connection between a reflection in a mirror and the kinds of self-reflection in which a person must engage to write his own life story. As such, mirrors and reflective surf...