AI Analysis of Symbolism in The Blue Bells Chronicles

 I was recently asked to create a discussion guide and questions for The Blue Bells Chronicles. One suggestion for the questions regarded symbolism throughout the book. I confess, it's been a very long time since I wrote the books. I had to really think about that. Being pressed for time (the discussion guide needs to be turned in within 48 hours but ideally 24), I decided to ask Grok about this.

I found the results interesting and a little bit amusing--sort of like the joke about literature professors going on at length about what the author was really saying by placing blue curtains in the room. The author's response, when asked, is: I meant, the curtains are blue. That's all. I definitely did not write most of what AI saw as symbolism, or if I did, I certainly don't remember any, apart from Amy's comment that the history of the trombone is symbolic of Shawn himself. 

That said, it never hurts to think about things on a different level. Certainly, in regard to the famous meme, I find it funny at the same time I think we all read things into books, interpret them differently, and perhaps draw some insight or new way of seeing the word, from our interpretation, even if the author didn't intend it.

Here's what Grok had to say:

Symbolic Elements in The Blue Bells ChroniclesLaura Vosika's five-book Blue Bells Chronicles series weaves time travel, historical fiction, and personal redemption through the story of modern trombonist Shawn Kleiner, who swaps places with his medieval counterpart, Niall Campbell, in the era of Robert the Bruce. The narrative draws heavily on Scottish folklore, music, and themes of transformation, using recurring symbols to underscore character growth, cultural clashes, and the blurred lines between eras. Below are some key symbolic elements that appear throughout the series, based on the author's inspirations and narrative motifs.1. Blue Bells (Flowers and the Folk Song)

• Symbolism: Represent hidden depths, transformation, and the call to noble deeds. The series title derives from the traditional Scottish folk song "The Blue Bells of Scotland," which evokes images of "streaming banners" and heroic action in misty highlands—mirroring the protagonist's journey from self-indulgent hedonism to reluctant heroism. Bluebells also symbolize humility and constancy (as per Victorian flower language), reflecting how overlooked qualities in flawed characters like Shawn are revealed under pressure. In folklore, bluebells are "fairy flowers" associated with enchantment and danger, tying into the time-travel "fairy hole" portals that trap characters between worlds.
• Recurrence: The song haunts Shawn's modern performances and echoes in medieval battles, symbolizing the pull between his glamorous 21st-century life (fame, women, excess) and the brutal 14th-century reality. They appear in lochside scenes near Castle Glenmirril, evoking Scotland's mystical landscape as a site of rebirth.
• My thoughts: I believe Grok drew at least some of this from my own blog entry, Bluebells: the flower. so Grok can be forgiven for thinking maybe I intended this symbolism. I definitely found the symbolism interesting, but the reason bluebells are part of the book at all really is solely that Blue Bells of Scotland is a famous trombone piece and Shawn plays trombone, so of course he plays that piece. This led to the natural conclusion that a book named after the folk song/virtuoso theme and variation he plays should be set in Scotland. And Scotland does have a lot of bluebells. That's it. However, had I thought about some of those meanings of bluebells, maybe I would have used them more deliberately!

2. The Trombone

• Symbolism: Stands for untapped potential and the duality of self. As a trombone virtuoso, Shawn embodies superficial talent, but the instrument—once dismissed as limited—parallels his arc of proving "more than people think." Inspired by Arthur Pryor's virtuosic arrangement of "Blue Bells of Scotland" (designed to showcase the trombone's range), it represents the series' core theme: seeing beyond surfaces, much like Amy's faith in Shawn's buried goodness.
• Recurrence: Shawn plays it in jazz clubs and orchestras pre-time travel, but in the past, its modern tones clash with medieval bagpipes and lutes, symbolizing cultural dissonance. Later books feature it in hybrid performances, bridging eras and signaling personal reconciliation.
• My thoughts: Once again, no symbolism was intended, initially. Shawn plays the trombone because I played the trombone. It's an instrument I know quite well, having majored in music on it and played semi-professionally for years. As Shawn recounts to Amy why Blue Bells of Scotland is kind of a big deal, in that Arthur Pryor showed the world that a slide trombone (as opposed to a valve trombone) could be a whole lot more than anyone at the time thought it could be, Amy sees it as symbolic of Shawn: that there's a whole lot more to him, too.

What did you, as the reader, see as symbolic in The Blue Bells Chronicles? Grok had four more, which I'll post about in the coming days. And maybe some day, when I'm not in a rush to sign onto a zoom meeting, I'll change out the articles you might also like, below, to writing-related posts. If you want more posts on writing, check out the tags on the left to find them!

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