The Meaning behind the Color of Anna's Notebook

Author: Kyoka

First-year student at the University of Tsukuba  

Publication permission granted in February 2024 

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Introduction

Anna’s blue notebook plays a symbol in Paul Auster's The Country of Last Things. The novel is written in letter format, and Anna's blue notebook is a tool for Isabel, who plays an essential role in her life, to communicate with her before passing away. The one question raised with this notebook is its color. Even though an author could depict a notebook as just a “notebook” or with any other colors, why did he choose to use the color blue, and what implication or effect does the color have on the story? This essay uncovers the symbolism of the color blue in the novel, making its connection with Judaism and the diary of Anna Frank visible. 

The Symbolism of The Color Blue

Generally, the color blue is related to coolness, sadness, and depression. As the color gets more profound, it affects people's anxiety since it makes them imagine the storm or night (Adobe,2014). Considering this general image in blue, it can be claimed that blue emphasizes and supports the ambiance of the novel. The novel illustrates a story of a dystopian country as Anna mentions it: “Nothing lasts, you see, not even the thoughts inside you” (1), “Things fall apart and vanish, and nothing new is made. People die, and babies refuse to be born” (5). People are facing severe poverty and have almost nothing to eat. Though Anna feels happy with her lover Sam, her life in the city is harsh. This information about the city illustrates Anna’s notebook in blue, which reminds people of sadness or depression and emphasizes these situations in the city, making the reader get into the dystopian world even more.

Moreover, the color blue plays a vital role in Judaism. In ancient texts, the color blue was used as a dye for ritual purposes. For instance, It was used to dye “tabernacle” - a portable sanctuary where people pray for god and clothes for high priests (Locks The contradictory color - blue seems to have a special holiness). Not only did the coloring of facilities and materials for people in higher positions occur, but some people colored their homes and gravestones in blue, believing that blue protects people from evil eyes. Blue also represents the “Zionist movement,” which is a movement of Jews to build and support their home in Palestine since the national flag of Israel is colored in blue (Jewish Blues – Penn Press). The relationship between blue and Judaism and the fact that Anna, the owner of the blue notebook, is also Jewish, depicting the “blue” notebook had the author's purpose in representing Jewish culture and identity.

Connection to the Diary of Anne Frank

Anne Frank is a Jewish girl who passed away due to the Nazi's Holocaust. The diary she wrote during the time she was hiding from Nazis was found after her death, and her story is being told all over the world today. The diary book she had is covered by a red-checked front cover, which is the antagonistic color of blue, the color of Anna’s notebook. Moreover, there is a similarity between Anna and Anne in the way or attitude towards their diary book. Anna is writing the letter not for someone but for herself to keep her memory inside it. Her earlier letter mentions this: “It doesn’t matter if you read it. It doesn’t even matter if I send it—assuming that could be done” (2).

Like Anna, Anne’s purpose in writing the diary was not to show it to someone. This could be explained by the following quote she left on the first page of the diary; “I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support” (Anne Frank,1942). These similarities between Anne and Anna show the author Paul Auster’s theme in the novel to depict the environment where it resembles the holocaust. That theme could be demonstrated by illustrating the color of the notebook with blue.

Conclusion

There were two main reasons why the author described Anna’s notebook in blue. One is what blue symbolizes in both general and Judaism perspectives; the other is the representation of Anne Frank’s diary, which has the same antagonistic colored cover as Anna’s blue notebook. As the author of the novel is Jewish-American and has an association with Judaism and the holocaust, he is the one who understands the dystopian country caused by discrimination against them more than other people without any of those associations. Therefore, it can be claimed that his novel theme is telling the reader that the place and situation Anna and other characters face actually occurred or is still occurring in some part of the world, depicting Anna’s notebook in not just a notebook or any other color but blue effects expressing that theme.

Bibliography

• Auster, Paul. In the Country of Last Things. New York: Penguin Books, 1988.

• “Jewish Blues – Penn Press.” Edited by Supadu, University of Pennsylvania Press, 11 Nov. 2021, www.pennpress.org/9781512823370/jewish-blues/#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20being%20a,of%20the%20State%20of%20Israel.

• “June 12, 1942 – Anne Frank.” Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Florida, 15 July 2020, www.holocaustedu.org/this-week-in-history/june-12-1942-anne-frank/.

• Locks, Gutman. “The Contradictory Color - Blue Seems to Have a Special Holiness, ...” Chabad.Org, 2003, www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/1407039/jewish/The-Contradictory-Color.htm.

• [The Meaning of Blue in Design] “デザインにおけるブルーの意味.” Edited by Adobe, Adobe , 2024, www.adobe.com/jp/creativecloud/design/hub/guides/meaning-of-blue-in-design.html.