Walk Two Moons Symbolism
by Hayden Parris
Summary Of Novel
Sharon Creech's novel Walk Two Moons is about a thirteen year old girl named Sal. Sal goes on a week long trip to visit Lewiston, Idaho where her mother is buried. Along the way, she tells her story to her grandparents about when she moved away, met a girl named Phoebe, and all their adventures together.
Thesis Statement
Throughout the novel Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech uses symbolism to helps the reader grasp and think about the topic in another angle.
Symbolism 1: Hair
One main symbol in Sharon Creech's novel Walk Two Moons is hair. Creech shows Sal's mom cutting her hair right before she left. The first time Sharon Creech uses this symbol, Sal is thinking about her mom cutting her hair before she leaves. "My hair floated all around me. My mothers hair had been long and black, like mine. But a week before she left, she cut it." (Creech 92). Her father comments and tells Sal to never cut her hair. "Don't cut yours Sal, please don't cut yours." (Creech 92). The hair is associated with Sal's mom leaving. Hair is symbolism for connections to family because before Sal's mom leaves, she cuts her hair. Sal's father doesn't want her to "cut her hair" but what he really means is that he doesn't want her to leave. This symbol helps readers grasp and think about the topic, or in this case, family connections, in another angle.
Symbolism 2: Trees
Another main symbol in Sharon Creech's novel Walk Two Moons are trees. At the beginning of the story, Creech shows Sal praying to trees. "I prayed to trees. This was easier than praying directly to God. There was nearly always a tree nearby." (Creech 7). Creech later mentions Sal's mom hugging a tree. "As she approached the corner of the barn where the sugar maple stands, she plucked a few blackberries from a stray bush. She looked all around her- back at the house, across the fields, and up into the canopy of branches overhead. She took several quick steps up to the trunk of the maple, threw her arms around it, and kissed that tree soundly." (Creech 122). The tree is symbolism for Sal's mom because, ever since Sal observed her mom kissing a tree, she prayed to trees. Sal associates trees with her mom. This symbol helps readers grasp and understand the topic, or Sal's mom in another angle.