From Juxtaposition to Interweave

This chapter examines how Brian Selznick uses creative activities in The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007), Wonderstruck (2011) and The Marvels (2015) as loci for cross-generational collaboration. Beginning with a discussion of Selznick’s use of the orphan plot in all three books, it then focuses on Wonderstruck and The Marvels, which structurally take a more sophisticated approach to intergenerational relationships, juxtaposing and interweaving stories focalized through different generational perspectives to demonstrate intergenerational solidarity. The chapter argues that Selznick demonstrates how members of different generations thrive when they collaborate in telling their stories and helping one another find purpose and place in the world, establishing mutually beneficial communities.