Lake Lachrymose is an enormous lake that is the setting of The Wide Window. Its name can also refer to the small little coastal village located next to this dangerous body of water.
Contents
Description
The titular lake and surrounding area was discovered by and named after explorer Ivan Lachrymose.[1]
The lake itself is enormous, large enough to attract hurricanes to the area. It is noted to be very difficult to sail in during storms. However, during calm days, it is described as quite pretty.
The lake is notorious for its population of predatory Lachrymose Leeches, known to attack anyone who smells of food, causing a restriction to be imposed around the city forbidding swimming less than thirty minutes after eating.
There are several locations in and around the lake, including:[2]
- Captain Sham's Sailboat Rentals
- Carp Cove
- Chartreuse Island
- Cloudy Cliffs
- Condiment Bay
- Curdled Cave
- Lavender Lighthouse
- Rancorous Rocks
- Wicked Whirlpool
Captain Widdershins mentions that he patrolled Lake Lachrymose for years in his submarine, the Queequeg, implying that it is an open lake, which means it drains into a river that leads to the ocean.[3]
The Fickle Ferry takes passengers to Damocles Dock, which is at the edge of the small town.[2]
Town
The town located on the coast of Lake Lachrymose functions as a resort and tends to be crowded during times of nice weather. However, it tends to be nearly empty during the off-season, likely due to the lake being so large that hurricanes become an occasional issue.
The town is paved with a cobblestone road, curling around the buildings like a snake.
The town contains several shops and restaurants:
- The Anxious Clown
- Fried Egg restaurant
- Lake Lachrymose Police Department
- Look! It Fits! - clothing store
- Several closed, boarded-up stores
- A building with the words "Momento mori."
- Unnamed Grocery Store, with barrels of limes and beets up front
Outside of the town is a cliff that held Josephine Anwhistle's house before it crashed into the lake during Hurricane Herman.[2]
Trivia
- Lachrymose means "tear-inducing". This could be a reference to Josephine's sadness and weeping due to the loss of her husband when he swam in the lake without waiting forty-five minutes after eating.
- Furthermore, the Baudelaire children experienced additional grief when Josephine herself suffered the same fate Ike did through their own eyes.
- When the word "lachrymose" comes to mind in that sense, it can create imagery of a lake being filled with tears.
Appearances
Gallery
Books
The Catastrophic Card Game
Movie
.png "Aunt Josephine's House (Movie).png (2.4 MB)")
Video game
Netflix
Behind the Scenes
