Given the infamous sinking of the Titanic is a key event in the novel, the prevalence of boats and ships throughout the novel could be read simply as foreshadowing or echoes of that tragedy. However, the ships populating The Second Mrs. Astor also symbolize other important aspects of Madeleine’s story. In part, boats represent freedom and possibility for Madeleine. When Madeleine sails on Jack’s yacht, Noma, during their courtship, she comes to savor the sense of adventure she feels while with Jack. Jack has seen so much more of the world than she has, and through his company and resources, he is offering to allow her to see the world as well. Similarly, sailing to Beechwood the night before her wedding, the sea appears magical to her: “In the water all around her crested night castles of foam, white-maned horses, sinuous mermaids with splashes of tails and wild flowing hair” (131).

Ships and sea vessels are also inherently a form of isolation, albeit a fragile one. This isolation can be positive, as it allows Madeleine to escape the cost of celebrity. On her honeymoon, for example, sailing on Noma allows Madeleine and Jack precious privacy, and shields Madeleine from the judgment of society matrons like Mrs.