The Lake House

The novel’s most dramatic events (Constance murdering Daffyd and Theo’s disappearance) take place on Midsummer’s Eve. Celebrations of the summer solstice, despite having a heavy Christian theme in the modern era, predate Christianity. It was a festival that celebrated fertility and the hope of a bountiful harvest. The bonfire is a central element to the celebration, as depicted in the novel, and is used to ward off evil spirits. Kate Morton makes loose references to Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream throughout the novel. Magical and fantastical elements feature heavily in the play. This symbolic day supports the mythical and magical fairy-tale motif.

The boathouse is the central meeting place on Loeanneth’s grounds. It is also the place where all timelines meet, where Sadie discovers an old love letter written by Eleanor, which sparks the investigation into Theo’s disappearance. The boathouse represents many other things as well, including a place of refuge. Both Eleanor and Alice identify it as their favorite place on the grounds where they like to go to be alone. It is no coincidence that both women express their love for a man in the boathouse. Anthony uses it as a place of sanctuary to escape from his nightmares until he is moved into an office inside the house. It is Eleanor and Ben’s rendezvous place where they can continue their love affair.

The boathouse’s significance as a place of refuge is reinforced when analyzed in conjunction with the symbol of a ship on a storm-tossed sea. Boathouses are used to shield boats and ships against the onslaught of the elements, and so the Loeanneth boathouse provides shelter when the outside world is too much to handle.