What's In a Name?

September Lights

That's what the original Spanish title of The Watcher in the Shadows—La Luces de Septeimbre—translates to. So... why the complete title change for us Americans?

If you remember, the first Harry Potter book, although written in English, also received an "American" title. In the UK it was Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Here in the good ol' U.S. of A. we read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. What gives?

You probably have your suspicions, but see if you can find any facts to back it up. This will be one of the first things we discuss when we meet on January 13th to talk about Carlos Ruiz Zafon's novel.

We'll also be talking about all of the Potential Assignments below, so please choose one to complete like a champ so you can wow us with your intellect and preparedness.

Potential Assignments

#1: Only the Shadow Knows
Shadows are a big deal in this novel, and in many others. In Lord of the Flies, for instance, you may recall that there was a chapter titled "Shadows and Tall Trees," and that much shadows were used symbolically. Take a look at how Ruiz Zafon uses shadows in general (as well as THE shadow), and see if you can come up with a theory of what shadows in general and THE shadow represent in this novel.

#2: What's in a Name, Part 2
Check out the names of the various characters in the novel and see if any of them have significance. Hint: Some do. I wouldn't ask if I didn't already know that much, but see what you can come up with.

#3: One Day at a Time
We know in what year the novel starts. We know the approximate dates when many of the big events happen. And we know the exact date of Irene's final letter. The question is... why? Why is Ruiz Zafon so specific with his timing? Find as many references to specific dates and see if you can figure out why the author is being such a fanatic about it.

#4: Spatially Challenged
That's me. I was trying really hard, particularly as I read the initial descriptions of Blue Bay, to put all of the locations in perspective, but like I said: I'm kind of spatially challenged. If you're not, create a map of Blue Bay with all of the significant landmarks. You can even add a legend to highlight the locations where the main events take place.

Okay. I have about a bajillion other questions for you, but we'll tackle these first and then discuss the rest as time allows next week.

Happy reading!