Biblical Imagery
The story is packed with images that evoke passages from the Bible. There's a snake that hangs out around a tree (19), which recalls that infamous serpent from the Garden of Eden who tempts Eve to...
Birds
Ornithophobes, beware: It's a regular aviary up in this story. Birds are a super common symbol in literature and art. Their meaning can vary depending on the type of bird, but some of the common me...
Trees
Oak trees, pine trees, cypress trees, dead trees, sweet gum trees, live trees, trees with moss, trees with mistletoe… this story has lots of trees. Phoenix's wrinkles are even described as lookin...
Lye Poisoning
Lye poisoning was an all too common occurrence among the poor in rural Mississippi, so it represents a historical reality of life at the time, while also working as a symbol for other issues that p...
The Path
You know that whole life-is-a-journey notion? Well, the journey Phoenix takes along the path in the story is kind of like a microcosm (SAT word in the house) of a person's whole life. Just like in...