Symbolism In Walk Two Moons
By Marlee Meek
Summary Of Novel
Sharon Creech's novel Walk Two Moons is about a 13- year-old girl named Salamanca Hiddle. Sal drives with her grandparents across the country to see her mothers grave in Lewiston Idaho. On the trip, Sal entertains her grandparents with a story about her best friend Phoebe Winterbottom, her diapering mother and the lunatic.
Thesis Statement
Throughout the novel, Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech uses symbolism to show that common objects can relate in uncommon ways.
Tulips 🌷
One of the symbols that appears throughout the novel is tulips. The first time Sharon Creech uses tulips is when Sal is remembering the day before her mom left for Lewiston, Idaho. "she wanted me to know that she would think of me every minute and that she would be back before the tulips bloom. But of course, she did not come back before the tulips bloomed." (Creech 110) Later in the book, Sal talks about her dead baby sister. "The name came to me from the air. 'Tulip,' I said. My father smiled. 'Your mother will like that. We'll bury the baby in the little cemetery near the aspen grove-where the tulips come up every spring.'" (Creech 149) The tulips represent when someone will not be coming back. Tulips die every winter and grow back in the spring. Sal realized that good things can come out of bad things. It is because of this symbol that the reader can feel deeper meaning with the tulips.
Blackberries
Another symbol that is shown in the novel is blackberries. One example of when blackberries are used in the book is when Sal and her friend, Ben, share a "blackberry kiss'. "Ben touches his lips. 'did it taste like blackberries to you?' he said." (Creech 238). Later in the book blackberries are shown again when Ben gives Sal a pet chicken. "When I asked him what it's name was, he leaned forward, and I leaned forward and another kiss happened, a spectacular kiss, a perfect kiss, and Ben said 'Its named blackberry.'" (Creech 255). Blackberries appear when ever Sal is showing her feelings toward Ben. Blackberries are sweet which is how Ben acts toward Sal. Blackberries represent love between Sal and Ben. It is through this symbol that the reader knows how Sal feels toward Ben.