The Broken Dove & Kintsugi: Embracing Damage as Art in Jenny Lawson’s Broken

What Is the Broken Dove?

The broken dove is a concrete object that appears in Chapter 25 of Jenny Lawson’s memoir Broken. It begins as a large stone dove—actually hollow, not solid—that has lived on Lawson’s table for years alongside a male companion dove. The cat knocks it over, and the dove shatters into dozens of pieces. Lawson crawls on the floor to collect the fragments, grieving the loss of the matched set. She decides not to throw it away, even when her husband Victor later suggests she should. Instead, she photographs the broken pieces and keeps the dove on her counter, turned toward the window, as a talisman. The next morning Victor proposes making kintsugi with it—the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold‑dust‑laced lacquer, making the breakage part of the object’s history and beauty. This suggestion reframes the broken dove from trash into art.

Where the Symbol Recurs

The dove itself appears only in Chapter 25, but the concept of kintsugi and the idea of embracing brokenness echo throughout the memoir. In Chapter 30, “Damaged Good(s),” Lawson reflects on how damage makes something real and tells a story. She writes that “something is only real if it’s damaged,” and that scars and marks “tell our story”—the same principle behind kintsugi. In Chapter 38, “Souls,” she uses an extended metaphor of glass spheres that crack and are repaired with shards from songs, book lines, and love. The souls metaphor mirrors the dove: the sphere is broken, but the cracks can be filled with beautiful things, and “if you look at it in just the right light, it is beautiful.” The epigraph from Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem” (“There is a crack in everything / That’s how the light gets in”) provides the thematic foundation for the dove and kintsugi. Additionally, Lawson’s Magpie chapter (Chapter 33) explores how broken objects carry histories and connect people across time—just as the dove carries her story.

How the Meaning of the Broken Dove Changes

Initially, the dove is a cherished but ordinary decorative object. Its breakage causes grief: “I still grieve for the bird.” Lawson feels the loss of symmetry—the male dove will now stand guard alone. As she collects the pieces, she notices the alabaster interior and the “excelsior” (the strange white spun glass that kept the dove upright), discovering hidden beauty. She decides to make its breaking into art by photographing it and keeping it. The meaning shifts from loss to transformation: the broken dove becomes “a small talisman” with magic visible to the right eyes. Victor’s kintsugi suggestion elevates the repair to an art form, making the brokenness part of the story rather than something to hide. The dove now symbolizes that damage does not diminish value; it can enhance it. Lawson later writes that she wants the dove to tell a story to people who wonder what magic it must have if it’s still treasured even in this state.

Connections to Characters and Themes

Jenny Lawson: The broken dove is a direct metaphor for Lawson herself. In Chapter 25 she says, “I may be a broken dove, reminding others of the terrible but fantastic visions that come with an unquiet mind.” When she describes her depression as being hollow, scooped out, empty, the dove’s hollowness and breakage mirror her own mental state. She keeps the dove not only as art but as a self‑representation—shattered but special.
Victor: Victor proposes kintsugi, showing his supportive role. He doesn’t dismiss the broken dove as trash; he sees potential for repair and beauty. His line “They’re here. They can’t just disappear. We’ll find them eventually” reinforces the theme that healing is possible, even when pieces are scattered.
Hailey: Lawson’s daughter appears briefly when she calls down after the crash. Lawson reassures her, protecting her from the brokenness. This echoes the maternal desire to shield loved ones from jags, but also shows the family dynamic around illness.
The cat: The cat causes the accident but is not blamed. The breakage is accidental, like many of the cracks life inflicts.

Themes:

Brokenness and Healing: The dove’s kintsugi repair embodies the central theme that brokenness can be made beautiful and honored. Lawson writes that “broken things always do” have a story to tell.
Mental Illness and Stigma: The dove’s shattering represents the disruption of depression. By keeping it visible, Lawson normalizes brokenness and reduces stigma.
Vulnerability and Community: Victor’s suggestion to make kintsugi shows how community (family, friends) helps repair what feels irreparable. Lawson shares her vulnerability by not hiding the broken dove.
Memory and Identity: The dove triggers memories of her mother’s Easter eggs and childhood. The object’s history becomes intertwined with Lawson’s identity.
Humor as Coping: The suggestion of kintsugi is delivered with a shrug and a smile—a lighthearted approach to a painful moment.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Jenny Lawson keep the broken dove even before Victor suggests kintsugi?
Lawson sees beauty in the brokenness after examining the shards. She photographs the dove and keeps it because “there is beauty in the breaking.” She recognizes that the dove has become something else: art. This reflects her desire to honor the object’s history rather than discard it.

2. How does the kintsugi concept connect to the souls metaphor in Chapter 38?
In Chapter 38, souls are glass spheres that crack and are repaired with shards of songs, love, and art. Kintsugi similarly repairs broken objects with gold, making the cracks visible and valuable. Both emphasize that brokenness is not a flaw but an integral part of the object’s/soul’s beauty, and that healing involves incorporating the breakage.

3. What does the broken dove reveal about Jenny’s relationship with Victor?
Victor’s suggestion shows his understanding of Lawson’s need to preserve meaning in broken things. Instead of dismissing the dove, he offers a creative solution that respects her attachment. The exchange highlights a partnership where Victor supports her unconventional ways of coping and healing.

4. In what way does the broken dove symbolize the memoir’s larger message about mental illness?
The dove shatters suddenly, just as depression can strike without warning. Its pieces are scattered and not all can be found, mirroring the incomplete nature of recovery. Yet the decision to keep and repair the dove with gold—making the cracks part of its story—parallels Lawson’s message that living with mental illness involves accepting the damage as part of who you are, and that even broken people can be beautiful and treasured.