Shiver

Parents and authority figures—often depicted as complex and flawed—constitute both motif and symbol in the text. As a motif, flawed parents—a classic trope of coming-of-age narratives—illustrate The Importance of Finding One’s Pack. In the novel, parents do provide the protagonists with the nurture and support they need, leaving them to find kinship with their chosen families. Denied the care of their parents, the young characters must fend for themselves, becoming independent and autonomous. The absent or flawed parent is a common trope in children’s and young adult literature, providing a context for the protagonists to grow up fast and confront their inner and outer demons.

As a symbol, parents and authority figures represent the past traumas the characters must overcome to come into their own. For instance, Grace cannot let her parents’ neglect define her, much as Sam must grapple with the violence and abuse of his mother and father, asserting his own value and worth independent of them. Authority figures in the novel are frequently portrayed as thwarting or patronizing the younger characters, which Maggie Stiefvater frames as attempts to diminish their personhood. When a nurse in the hospital insists that Grace is lying about Sam’s injuries, an exasperated Grace observes that “of all [her] pet peeves, condescending adults [are] probably at the top of the list” (66).