Hollywood

Hollywood represents a land of temptation for Frankie. If New Orleans is the place where Frankie was unknown and found artistic fulfillment, Hollywood is the exact opposite: he enjoys superstardom but feels empty. Hollywood forces Frankie to reject a core part of himself: his love for guitar and his magical strings. In spite of his fame and riches, he is unhappy for a decade. Hollywood acts a microcosm for one of the novel's main themes that passion trumps commercial pursuit. When Frankie rejects Hollywood, he finds himself closer to The Spirit of Music, Aurora, and he once again has the ability to save lives through his music.