Wish

Whether tied to religious traditions or superstitious folklore, the practice of making wishes goes back as far as humanity’s origins, for people of any era, when desperate for a source of hope in the darkness, seek answers to their questions or reasons for their suffering. Barbara O’Connor thus employs the motif of wishing in the novel not just as a frivolous childish practice but as an important psychological function for the characters to express their hopes and desires. Though Charlie keeps her wishes a secret so as not to spoil the magic, it isn’t difficult to guess that her wish is to belong to a true family. Not only does she create a daily practice of wishing, but she also keeps a lengthy list of wishful scenarios, so that she is always ready to seize the opportunity to make a new wish for herself. Wishing thus becomes a way for Charlie to tap into something larger than herself in hopes of changing the future, and Charlie’s diligence and dedication to the practice symbolize her desire for stability and her hope that her family will someday be reunited.

It is Howard who first casts doubt on Charlie’s wishing ritual by wondering why she persists despite having no success.