The vision of an idyllic and peaceful childhood in The...

The vision of an idyllic and peaceful childhood inThe Travelling Circus of Lacrimosa- a rose tinted memory before the pain and distress of growing up into the adult world begins to take its toll. Growing up, coming of age and all that it entails is a major theme in the novel - perhaps the most defining characteristic of the book. William’s slowly maturing life is reflected in the ageing society: the end of the Victorian era as it teeters upon the brink of a new century, a new monarch and an e...