Full Tilt

Cassandra symbolizes the central theme of Full Tilt. Blake’s journey is about accepting the middle ground between caution and recklessness. As a supernatural being, Cassandra exists on both extremes at once. When Blake first sees her, he remarks, “there was something about her eyes—blue as glacier ice, yet hot as a gas flame” (17). Imagery of a frozen glacier invokes Blake’s state at the beginning of the novel: Fear stalls his growth toward independence. However, he cannot succeed in his journey if he moves into pure recklessness—the opposite extreme, in this case, is heat.

Cassandra also represents the rift between Blake and Quinn. Because she exists at both extremes, she has commonalities with both brothers. Blake and Quinn cannot survive in the same state in which Cassandra thrives; they must meet in the middle of the spectrum. As an antagonist, Cassandra fears balance, the anecdote that will provide Blake with solace and freedom. Balance literally paralyzes Cassandra in her final moments of existence: “both extremes were caught in a delicate balance, and she was unable to move” (194).