Circles and spirals appear in combination throughout the novel. At first, Louis believes that circles connote a kind of protection, especially in regard to his family. Louis finds the symmetry associated with circles comforting, as he believes it to be the manifestation of the control he wishes to have over the trajectory of his life. In this way, he is neither surprised nor disconcerted when he notices that the grave markers in the pet cemetery appear to be organized in rough concentric circles:

[T]he fact that humans were responsible for what was here seemed to emphasize what symmetry they had. The forested backdrop lent the place a crazy sort of profundity, a charm that was not Christian but pagan […] Louis noticed that the place did not just seem to have a sense of order, a pattern; the memorials had been arranged in rough concentric circles (30).

Louis believes that the concentric circles of the grave markers speak to an order amidst the chaos of death. Because he believes himself to be a hyper-rational being, Louis finds comfort in this pattern, especially when juxtaposed against the chaotic wilderness of the forest. Louis takes solace in the idea that humans can impose order upon nature’s chaos, believing this to be indicative of their great ability to create meaning and understanding from nothing.