Pigeons. Pigeons, pigeons, pigeons. It makes us think of this scene from Forrest Gump, except instead of shrimp, we're talking about pigeons. The interaction of people and pigeons forms the thematic and symbolic structure for One Came Home. People exploit pigeons—the way they exploit each other—and they also hope for pigeons, kill pigeons, eat pigeons, admire pigeons, and tell stories about pigeons. Pigeons are a big deal, and they're the main way we learn about each character: for instance, Agatha studies them and Georgie hunts them. Think on that.
Questions About Man and the Natural World
- What does each character's position on pigeons tell us about that character?
- A bird is the main symbol of nature. How might the book be different if another animal were in this role like, say, a mule or a cougar, for example? What is the significance of a bird?
- How can we track the growth of Georgie's character through her interactions with and feelings about pigeons?
- How are the other natural events of 1871—the drought and the fires—symbolically or thematically connected to the pigeon nesting?
Chew on This
The pigeon nesting is profitable, but it also causes destruction of the forests around Placid; in this way, it is a symbol of the tension between life and death in the book.
Georgie's feelings about the natural world and her place in it change significantly over the course of the novel.