1. But the chrome stars held his gaze. *Case is in a period of serious contemplation at this point in the novel. He is unsure of his ability, and he is in a serious dilemma on how he should handle his situation with Wage. He is roaming the streets, thinking about the position he has put himself in, and subconsciously he finds himself staring through a store window at “chrome”. In actuality, very few objects, especially cheap ones, are actually pure chromium, the element used in chrome plating, which undoubtedly gives these stars the appearance of being chrome. This process of chrome plating can be used for decorative purposes, but can also be used to prevent corrosion in vehicles, machinery, and tools. This is similar to the layer that Case is putting up between himself and the Ninsei, he uses his exterior as a shield that prevents the rest of the city from exploring the flaws that lie deep within him. The stars more formally known as Shuriken, are an ancient Japanese weapon that is commonly fashioned out of common objects. Although they give the appearance of being ordinary, typical, and unthreatening, these weapons can be very deadly when utilized properly. This can be seen as a parallel to the way that Armitage originally puts Case to work, we is of ordinary value in the beginning of his trajectory, but with slight alterations made by Armitage, as well as being put back to work as a cowboy, Case becomes a deadly weapon (so to speak) once more.2. They were mounted against scarlet ultrasuede with nearly invisible loops of nylon fishline, *Scarlet, a color that is a mixture of red and orange, has many cultural connotations. One of which is the color of human blood. It can also reference flames, or heat. It is "a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies”. The method in which the stars are mounted is also representative of the way that Case is being held up in society at that moment. Although it may seen invisible, Armitage’s influence is still holding case afloat, the nylon, synthetic, just like Case’s once invisible shepherd, Molly.
3. their centers stamped with dragons or yinyang symbols. *The dragon and the yinyang symbols can be seen in two ways. One could be that the symbol's meanings are imprinted on the stars for their symbolic meaning, which would transitively imply that these symbolic meanings were imprinted on Case. On the other hand, one can also look at these symbols for their aesthetic value. In situations such as the one presented here in the novel, where the stars are purely for souvenir purposes, the symbols are imprinted on objects to give an air of authenticity. In this case, the aesthetic importance of the yinyang and the dragon show the façade that Case must shroud himself with in order to survive in the Ninsei. Many people in the Ninsei are targeted for their appearance, and the “authenticity” that the proverbial yinyang and dragon offer Case are his method of camouflage.
4. They caught the street’s neon and twisted it... (12) *Throughout the novel, the neon of the Ninsei is constantly alluded to as a signifier for the city. Here, the neon is representing the effect that the city has on Case. He is reflecting the effects that the city has had on him, but he has not conceded his entire identity to the city. In actuality, he is taking the image that the city is attempting to have him reflect, and he is distorting it in his own manner.
