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 tales share a common theme of societal decay and the absence of meaning in the 20th century, as highlighted by the collection's concluding piece, Kiernan's only published verse, "Zelda Fitzgerald in Ballet Attire."