Philosophy
Meanings and symbolism
Blue Flower Power
The Blue Flower comes from a story by Novalis, an 18th-century German poet, who wrote about a character on a quest to find the "blue flower" he saw in his dreams. This quest was part of the Romantic movement, which was about looking for beauty and meaning in life, as opposed to the logical thinking of the time.
Today, the idea of the Blue Flower still reminds us of imagination and wonder, but it also includes things like technology. It's a balance between being creative and practical—a New Romanticism —and this is Abigail’s superpower in Sparkle Valley!
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Home
Novalis once said that philosophy is like "homesickness," and we are always searching for a place to feel at home. Emily, in this sense, is a philosopher herself . She creates a whole world through Abigail and her toys—a world made from her imagination, where she feels safe and “at home.” But, like the blue flower that’s always just out of reach, this home is only temporary.
Emily dreams of finding her true home, and in her imagination, a doll becomes her sister, an umbrella becomes a boat, and a garden becomes a world of magic!
One day, Emily leaves her “home” in the Magic Garden with Abigail and starts an adventure into the unknown. When she finally returns, she realizes that home has changed—and so has she. Emily has grown up.
IT
IT lurking beneath Sparkle Valley represents the Romantic struggle against forces that threaten imagination and childhood wonder. Like the Enlightenment’s focus on logic, which Romantics saw as limiting, IT tries to control imagination. The green mist and tremors symbolize how such forces cloud and shake the inner world - like the “mind-forged manacles” the poet William Blake described.
As “The Beast,” IT is more than an outside threat. It represents the pressure to let go of creativity and rely only on logic. Abigail’s battle against IT becomes a Romantic mission to keep Emily’s imagination alive, just as Romantics fought to keep wonder alive in a world turning to reason alone.
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IT
The Powder Of Life
The Powder of Life has the power to make anything real. Abigail’s choice not to use it and become a real girl, reflects the Romantic idea that true happiness comes from understanding yourself and following your own path. This echoes the Romantic idea of Bildung, or self-growth, where being true to yourself matters more than trying to fit someone else’s idea of what’s real. For Abigail (and Emily), the Powder of Life is a reminder that imagination and self-knowledge give her the freedom to choose her own path.
InZos
In a Romantic sense, the Inzos symbolize the fears and doubts each person faces on their path to self-growth. Just as Emily discovers that her fear gives the Inzos power, Romantics believed our fears are often creations of our own minds. Goethe’s Faust, for example, explores the idea of confronting inner darkness as a necessary step toward self-fulfillment.
The shadowy, smoke-like Inzos resemble Blake’s “dark satanic mills,” symbols of forces that try to snuff out the “inner spark” of creativity and individuality—a core Romantic concept. Emily’s battle with the Inzos teaches her a powerful lesson: they’re only as strong as she lets them be. This reflects the Romantic belief in inner strength, showing that overcoming fears is essential for personal growth.
Belief
William James, the philosopher, wrote about the importance of belief, which he connected to the notion of free will. He said that if we don’t believe we have free will—the ability to make our own choices—we might just give up and not even try to reach our goals. For example, if Abigail didn’t believe in herself and in her ability to change her destiny, she wouldn’t have tamed the Inzo and been the hero of Sparkle Valley. Even when IT, a mysterious force of self-doubt, tries to crush her belief in free will, Abigail's courage allows her to fight back. She shows us that belief is powerful. By trusting in her own strength and purpose – by “believing” - Abigail is able to save Sparkle Valley and keep its magic alive.
This also connects to Blue Flower Power (Abigail’s superpower), which stands for imagination, joy, courage, and balance. Abigail embodies these qualities as she faces her challenges. Imagination helps her find creative solutions, joy keeps her hopeful, courage gives her strength, and balance keeps her grounded in the midst of chaos. Just like the Blue Flower inspires people to follow their dreams, Abigail’s belief reminds us that having faith in ourselves can help us create the future we want.