Symbols In the Lives of Puppets T.J. Klune

The Symbolism of Bubinga Wood in In the Lives of Puppets

What Is Bubinga Wood in the Story?

In T.J. Klune's In the Lives of Puppets, bubinga wood is a rare, reddish-brown timber that Victor Lawson scavenges from the Scrap Yards. He first uses it as a child to build a mechanical heart for his father Giovanni, whose own heart is failing (chapter 2). Later, he carves a new arm, foot, and a heart for the decommissioned android he names Hap (chapters 5 and 6). The wood is dense, conductive when treated with metal, and visually distinct — Nurse Ratched calls it "unusual" and observes that it makes Hap "like a puppet. A marionette" (chapter 5). This physical object becomes the story's central symbol for creation, identity, and the transfer of humanity.

Where Bubinga Wood Recurs

Chapter Occurrence Context
2 Victor hides a bubinga-wood heart for Gio under his bed The heart is a contingency: "It wasn’t until he got his hands on some bubinga wood from the Scrap Yards that he’d found the perfect conductor."
5 Vic carves bubinga planks to cover Hap’s damaged arm and foot The wood replaces missing synthetic skin, turning Hap into a "puppet." Nurse Ratched scans it and declares the limb slightly weaker than original parts.
6 Vic installs a bubinga-wood heart in Hap’s chest The heart is powered by Vic's blood; Hap wakes with amnesia and a stutter.
7 Giovanni sees the bubinga heart in Hap’s chest Gio asks, "Victor, did you bleed in the heart?" — recognizing the same process Vic used for him.
8 The bubinga wood patches on Hap's face and chest are discussed Vic explains he used wood instead of metal because it "would look better" and makes Hap feel "different."
19 Vic recalls bubinga when trapped in a crate Hap asks Vic to describe the new heart; Vic says "Wood … It starts with wood," grounding himself in the tactile memory of carving.

How the Symbol's Meaning Changes

The bubinga wood evolves across three key relationships:

1. A Son’s Love (Victor and Giovanni)

For Victor, bubinga is initially a practical and emotional substitute. As a teen, he builds a heart for Gio because he fears losing his father. The wood is the "perfect conductor" for the nickel-coated copper; the heart’s "gears … sounded better than any music" because they represent life (chapter 2). The wood symbolizes Vic’s devotion and his desire to preserve the only family he has.

2. A Second Chance (Victor and Hap)

When Vic applies bubinga to Hap, the meaning shifts to identity and rebirth. Hap is a decommissioned killing machine — his synthetic skin is torn, his battery dead. By covering his exposed metal with carved wood, Vic literally gives Hap a new skin. The wood makes Hap look "like a puppet," echoing the Pinocchio tale that runs through the novel. But unlike Pinocchio, Hap is not a boy who wants to become real; he is a machine who must choose his own reality. The wooden heart Vic installs is "yours" (chapter 8), and Hap fiercely claims it: "You can’t have it. It’s mine."

3. The Wood as Memory and Forgiveness

By chapter 19, the bubinga wood has become a touchstone for Vic’s emotional strength. Trapped in a crate with Hap, Vic repeats "It starts with wood" to calm his panic. The wood is no longer just a material but a physical anchor to the act of creation and the bond he shares with Hap. Later, even after Vic learns of Hap’s violent past, he chooses forgiveness — a choice symbolized by the heart he built, which Hap carries.

Character and Theme Connections

  • Victor Lawson (character page): As the carver, Vic acts as a surrogate Geppetto. His use of bubinga shows his resourcefulness and his belief that even broken beings deserve "a chance at life beyond servitude" (chapter 5). He imbues the wood with his own blood, making the gift deeply personal.

  • Giovanni Lawson (character page): Gio’s own heart was made of bocote wood and silver-coated copper. The parallel with bubinga underscores the father-son bond: both are inventors, both create hearts from natural materials to sustain life.

  • Hap (character page): Hap’s body becomes a hybrid of metal and bubinga. The wood does not erase his machine nature — he remains an "asshole" — but it gives him a visible mark of being cared for. His wooden hand and foot constantly remind him—and others—that his existence is a gift.

  • Found Family (theme page): The bubinga heart is the centerpiece of Vic’s found family. It binds Hap to Vic, Gio, Nurse Ratched, and Rambo. It is the literal and symbolic heart of their group.

  • Memory and Identity (theme page): Hap remembers nothing before waking up. The bubinga wood and heart become his new identity — he is defined not by his past programming but by what Vic gave him.

  • Humanity and the Soul (theme page): The novel asks whether a machine can have a soul. The bubinga heart, made of organic wood and powered by human blood, suggests a blending of natural and artificial — a possible answer.

  • Love Versus Programming (theme page): Hap was built to kill, but the wooden heart teaches him restraint and care. He recites "I will not hurt anything today" (chapter 8) — a choice that overrides his original programming.

  • Free Will and Choice (theme page): Vic chooses to build the heart; Hap chooses to keep it. The bubinga wood is a material emblem of agency.

Study Questions and Answers

Question 1: How does the bubinga wood directly connect the story to the Pinocchio fable?
Answer: In Pinocchio, Geppetto carves a puppet from wood who longs to become a real boy. Here, Vic carves a puppet-like android from bubinga wood — but Hap never asks to become human. Instead, the wood symbolizes receiving a second chance and a chosen identity, subverting the classic tale’s wish-fulfillment.

Question 2: Why does Victor choose wood over metal for Hap’s missing parts? (Base your answer on chapter 5 and 8.)
Answer: Vic tells Gio that wood "would look better" and that metal felt wrong because Hap was "already metal" underneath (chapter 8). The wood is also easier to mold and has a natural, warm aesthetic that contrasts with the cold metal of most machines. Nurse Ratched calls it "unusual" but practical for covering delicate inner workings.

Question 3: How does the meaning of bubinga wood change from Victor’s gift for Gio to his gift for Hap?
Answer: For Gio, the bubinga heart is a contingency — a spare part made out of fear of loss (chapter 2). For Hap, the wood becomes a new skin and a new identity: it covers his damaged body and contains the heart that gives him a new kind of life. The shift is from preservation (keeping Gio alive) to creation (giving Hap a soul-like existence).

Question 4: What role does the bubinga wood play in Vic’s emotional journey during the crate scene (chapter 19)?
Answer: When Vic panics inside the crate, Hap asks him to describe the new heart. Vic says "Wood … It starts with wood," and then explains the art of carving is "old" and goes back "thousands of years" (evidence from chapter 19). The wood becomes a grounding memory that helps Vic focus on creation and connection instead of fear. It ties his present self to his act of building Hap, reinforcing their bond.

Conclusion

Bubinga wood is more than a plot device in In the Lives of Puppets. It is a tactile, recurring symbol of love, transformation, and the fragile boundary between machine and human. By carving this wood, Victor shapes not only Hap’s body but also his own understanding of family and forgiveness. The wood reminds readers that identity is often built, not born — and that even the most broken machine can be given a heart.