Previous
Symbols
Audrey’s sunglasses symbolize Audrey’s social anxiety and her attempts to cope with it by isolating herself from other people. At the beginning of the novel, Audrey wears her sunglasses at all times, even if she’s inside and is only around her family. She later explains to Linus that she finds eye contact difficult, and the sunglasses help her avoid making direct eye contact with anyone. Thus, the sunglasses help Audrey attempt to protect herself by isolating herself and avoiding emotional connections with other people.
As the story develops, Audrey’s sunglasses become a point of conversation and sometimes contention with others. More than once, Linus encourages Audrey to stop wearing the sunglasses, but Audrey repeatedly says that she’s not ready to give them up. Toward the end of the novel, though, when Audrey goes missing, she loses her sunglasses and is surprised to find that she doesn’t feel the need to find new ones. Audrey’s newfound comfort without her sunglasses shows she is recovering from the traumatic events of the past and is successfully learning to cope with social anxiety. As she says in the novel’s final scene—in which she directly addresses the camera without wearing sunglasses—her eyes are “who [she is].” In that sense, not wearing sunglasses symbolizes Audrey’s return to herself as she heals.
Sunglasses Quotes in Finding Audrey
The Finding Audrey quotes below all refer to the symbol of Sunglasses. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1 Quotes
“Look, it’s the celebrity!” quips Ollie’s dad, Rob. He’s been calling me “the celebrity” for the last four weeks, even though Mum and Dad have separately been over to ask him to stop. He thinks it’s funny and that my parents have no sense of humour. (I’ve often noticed that people equate “having a sense of humour” with “being an insensitive moron.”)
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 4 Quotes
Most people underestimate eyes. For a start, they’re powerful. They have range. You focus on someone a hundred feet away, through a whole bunch of people, and they know you’re looking at them. What other bit of human anatomy can do that? It’s practically being psychic, is what it is.
But they’re like vortexes too. They’re infinite. You look someone straight in the eye and your whole soul can be sucked out in a nanosecond. That’s what it feels like. Other people’s eyes are limitless and that’s what scares me.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“After a while, I’d like you to start interviewing people. Could you make eye contact with someone through a camera, do you think?”
I feel a blinding shaft of terror, which I tell myself to ignore, as my brain will often try to send me messages that are untrue and I do not have to listen to them. This is lesson one at St. John’s: your brain is an idiot.
“I don’t know.” I swallow, feeling my fists clench up. “Maybe.”
“Great.” Dr. Sarah gives me her angelic smile. “I know this feels hard and scary, Audrey. But I think it will be a great project for you.”
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 22 Quotes
What’s the point of you? Try this, for starters.
And underneath there’s a long list. He’s written a long, long list, that fills the page. I’m so flustered, I can’t even read it properly, but as I scan down I catch beautiful smile and great taste in music (I sneaked a look at your iPod) and awesome Starbucks name.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 42 Quotes
I think Mum’s really pleased I’ve got my eyes back. She said they were the first thing she looked at when I was born. My eyes. They’re me. They’re who I am.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Finding Audrey LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Sunglasses Symbol Timeline in Finding Audrey
The timeline below shows where the symbol Sunglasses appears in Finding Audrey. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2
...why Frank is obsessed with Land of Conquerors. Audrey is in her room, wearing the sunglasses that she always wears, even when she’s indoors. Audrey shows Anne videos online of someone...
(full context)
Chapter 3
...clenches her fists. Linus introduces himself and then asks Audrey if she always wears her sunglasses. Audrey hides behind a curtain and then runs out of the room, saying, “Sorry,” as...
(full context)
Chapter 11
...related to “everything… that happened,” and Audrey says it is. He then comments on her sunglasses, and Audrey says she finds it hard to make eye contact with people, and the...
(full context)
Chapter 22
...Linus and Audrey are drinking their coffee, though, Linus suggests that Audrey take off her sunglasses. Audrey feels like Linus is badgering her, and she becomes anxious. She starts wondering what...
(full context)
Chapter 25
...herself and also that she gouged out her eyes, which is why she always wears sunglasses. Audrey continues to be upset, and Natalie apologizes. Audrey thinks that Natalie is clueless, and...
(full context)
Chapter 35
...too great of a risk and that Audrey isn’t ready for it. She’s still wearing sunglasses, Linus points out. Besides, Linus says, Audrey has worked too hard, and relied on the...
(full context)
Chapter 38
...family goes to find her at the police station, Chris remarks that Audrey lost her sunglasses. In the coming days, Audrey realizes that she doesn’t mind not having them and that...
(full context)
Chapter 40
...then leaves Audrey alone to talk to Linus. Linus remarks on the absence of Audrey’s sunglasses. He then says that everything is okay between them—they’ve been texting constantly for the past...
(full context)
