In the book Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin the writing style that is used throughout the book is magical realism. Magical realism is when a story blurs the distinction between fantasy and reality. It is characterized by an equal acceptance of the ordinary and the extraordinary. In the story, a teenage girl named Liz dies by a hit and run driver while she is on her way to meet her best friend. After this horrific incident, Liz finds herself waking up on a ship on its way to a new world by the name of Elsewhere. Elsewhere is the afterlife for all living creatures. Humans and animals alike live together with the ability to communicate with each other. Some humans have the ability to speak canine and communicate verbally with their pets. What is interesting about this afterlife is that the inhabitants age backwards until they reach seven days old, and at this time they are released back to Earth to be reborn. The concept of the afterlife has been widely accepted through the ages but in this novel it uses symbols from ancient civilizations. Liz awoke on a large ship similar to a cruise liner. Because it is the transportation to the afterlife the name of the ship is quite symbolic. The S.S. Nile represents the preparation of the body to the next world. Just like the mummies of Egypt, the passengers on the SS Nile are dressed in preparation for the afterlife. When Liz awoke on the ship she was “cocooning herself in the bedclothes.” (p. 10) “ Liz looks at Thandi’s white nightgown. Liz herself is wearing white men style pajamas.” (p.11). The color white refers to the white burial dressing used for mummies. The color white also represents purity to the next world. Egypt is referenced to several times in the novel by using the image of water. Throughout the ages water has symbolized purity and transformation. When the babies reach the age of seven days old they are sent back to earth by being swaddled and sent down the river. Ther