The stories are also united by a theme of cultural decay and loss of meaning in 20th-century society, as expressed by the collection's epilogue, Kiernan's only published poem, "Zelda Fitzgerald in Ballet Attire."
The narratives are connected by an idea of cultural deterioration and the loss of purpose in modern society, as conveyed through the collection's epilogue, Kiernan's single published poem, "Zelda Fitzgerald in Ballet Attire."