A Spark of Light

Throughout the narrative, the physical edifice of the Center symbolizes determination and survival. Picoult opens the novel with a lengthy description of the building. It “squat[s] […] like an old bulldog used to guarding its territory” (3). This simile emphasizes the tenacity of the staff members and other people who keep the Center running. However, after stricter rules and clinic closures, the Center is also the only abortion clinic left in Mississippi, and, like a “unicorn,” it is rare. However, the unicorn is also an animal associated with beauty, hope, and innocence. By choosing an animal with such positive associations, Picoult emphasizes that the people running the Center and many of the patients see abortion care as a necessary and good thing. Vonita paints the Center bright orange, “the color of safety; the color of warning. It sa[ys]: I’m here if you need me. It sa[ys], Do what you want to me; I’m not going” (3). The colors and imagery assert that the Center building embodies the determination and survival of the people who attend it and keep it running. It has weathered storms and opposition but refuses to close.