The Sea Glass Symbol in This Summer Will Be Different

Introduction

In This Summer Will Be Different, a small piece of sea glass becomes one of the novel’s most evocative concrete symbols. The object appears first as an elusive treasure Lucy Ashby searches for on Prince Edward Island beaches, then later as a gift from Felix Clark during her deepest grief. This analysis traces the literal object, its recurrences, how its meaning shifts, and its ties to characters and central themes such as secrets and honesty, forbidden love, belonging, and self-discovery.

What Is Sea Glass Literally?

Sea glass is fragmented glass—often from bottles, jars, or windows—that has been tumbled and polished by waves, sand, and salt over many years. The sharp edges are worn smooth, and the original color is softened into a frosted, translucent finish. In the novel, sea glass is a natural feature of Prince Edward Island’s shoreline, a tangible remnant of human presence transformed by the sea’s patient work.

Where the Symbol Recurs

Sea glass appears in three key moments across the story:

The first recurrence establishes sea glass as an object that Lucy wants but cannot obtain; the second transforms it into something she receives as a gift of care.

How the Meaning Changes

The sea glass symbol evolves through three stages:

1. Elusive Desire – In Chapter 7, Lucy searches the sand “for sea glass and never find[s] it.” The missing glass reflects her own sense of unrootedness and her longing for a place (PEI) and a person (Felix) that feel just out of reach. At this point, sea glass represents an unattainable ideal of beauty and belonging.

2. Gift of Healing – One year later, during the grief of Chapter 26, Felix gives Lucy a piece of sea glass. The gift is not described as a grand romantic gesture; it is quiet and patient. Felix does not try to fix Lucy’s pain but offers the glass as a tangible reminder that broken things can become smooth and luminous over time. The sea glass here symbolizes the slow, non-linear process of healing.

3. Shared Intimacy – The moment Felix places the glass in Lucy’s hand bridges their past secret encounter and the present reconnection. The sea glass becomes a private language between them—a symbol of the trust and patience that will eventually allow their relationship to emerge from secrecy.

Character Connections

Lucy Ashby

Lucy’s relationship with sea glass mirrors her emotional journey. An early search for glass ends in failure, paralleling her inability to access the island’s magic or her own desire for Felix. When she finally receives the glass, it coincides with her acceptance that she is “broken” but not beyond repair. Lucy admits she fears she is broken; Felix insists she is not. The sea glass is the physical proof of that reassurance.

Felix Clark

Felix is the source of the sea glass. He finds it on a beach, chooses it deliberately, and offers it without explanation. This act aligns with his characterization as a man of few words who expresses care through action. The sea glass reflects Felix’s own patience: he waited months for Lucy to return to PEI, and he waits while she heals. In the character profile for Felix Clark, his steadiness is a core trait.

Bridget Clark

Bridget never directly interacts with the sea glass, but her absence from the symbolic exchange matters. Lucy and Felix’s secret relationship violates Bridget’s only rule (“don’t fall in love with my brother”). The sea glass, given in secret during a time when Lucy is already keeping the truth from Bridget, becomes a silent marker of the loyalty conflict at the heart of the novel.

Theme Connections

Secrets and Honesty

The sea glass is intimately tied to secrets. Lucy hides both her earlier one-night stand and her developing feelings for Felix. The glass, hidden in her hand or pocket, embodies a truth that cannot yet be spoken aloud. This theme is explored further on the Secrets and Honesty theme page.

Forbidden Love and Loyalty

Lucy’s relationship with Felix is forbidden by Bridget’s stipulation. The sea glass gift occurs in a moment when both characters acknowledge their desire—but the secret weighs heavily. The glass, as a beautiful object born from a shard, suggests that what feels forbidden can eventually become something valuable if handled with care. See also Forbidden Love and Loyalty.

Belonging and Home

Sea glass is a product of the island itself. When Felix gives it to Lucy, he is not only offering an object but also welcoming her into a relationship with the place he calls home. Lucy, who has never quite felt at home in her parents’ house or in Toronto, finds in the sea glass a piece of the island she can carry with her. This connects to the theme of Belonging and Home.

Self-Discovery and Growth

Lucy’s arc from hiding from love to accepting it is a journey of self-discovery. The sea glass illustrates that growth is not instant—it takes years of tumbling. Lucy must work through grief, career stress, and her own fear of vulnerability before she can fully receive the love Felix offers. The Self-Discovery and Growth theme page expands on this idea.

Study Questions with Answers

1. What does the sea glass represent for Lucy at the beginning of the novel versus at the end?
   Answer: Early in the story, sea glass is a prize Lucy searches for but never finds—it symbolizes an unattainable ideal of belonging and beauty. After Felix gives her a piece during her grief, the sea glass comes to represent healing, patience, and the possibility that brokenness can be transformed into something precious.

2. How does Felix’s act of giving sea glass reflect his character?
   Answer: Felix does not rush to comfort Lucy with words. Instead, he offers a tangible, patient symbol. The sea glass shows his attentiveness to Lucy’s needs, his own quiet strength, and his willingness to let her heal at her own pace. It mirrors the way he has waited for her throughout the novel.

3. In what way does the sea glass connect to the theme of secrets and honesty?
   Answer: Lucy and Felix’s relationship is built on a secret that Lucy keeps from Bridget. The sea glass is given during a moment of private intimacy, hidden from Bridget’s knowledge. Like the glass, the secret must be kept hidden until the right time; when it finally emerges, it has the potential to cause pain but also to clear the way for honesty.

4. How does the sea glass symbolize Lucy’s emotional journey on Prince Edward Island?
   Answer: Lucy’s first attempt to find sea glass fails, reflecting her initial difficulty connecting with the island and with Felix. Later, receiving the glass marks the beginning of her emotional healing and her acceptance that she belongs on PEI. The glass itself—formed from broken glass made smooth by the sea—mirrors Lucy’s transformation from a person who feels shattered into one who finds wholeness.

Conclusion

The sea glass in This Summer Will Be Different is a carefully placed symbol that gains depth through repetition and context. What begins as a fruitless search becomes a gift of hope, and what appears as a small, frosted shard carries the weight of grief, patience, and eventual love. Carley Fortune uses the natural beauty of Prince Edward Island—and one of its characteristic beach treasures—to illuminate the novel’s central themes of healing, belonging, and the slow, worthwhile work of becoming whole. For more on the novel’s overall themes and characters, explore the main book page.