The novel Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech is a profound exploration of childhood, grief, and the resilience of the human spirit. At the heart of this narrative lies a recurring and potent motif: the blackberry. Far from being a mere plot device, the blackberry serves as a complex symbol that threads through the protagonist Sal's emotional journey. It acts as a trigger for memory, a bridge between the rural past in Bybanks and the suburban present in Euclid, and ultimately, a signifier of Sal's gradual acceptance of her mother's death. To understand the novel, one must understand how this simple fruit evolves from a painful reminder of loss into a token of healing and new beginnings. The motif of blackberries is not static; it changes meaning as Sal's internal world shifts, marking the stages of her grief and her eventual reconnection with the world around her.
The narrative is deeply rooted in the contrast between two distinct environments: Bybanks, a rural home filled with nature, and Euclid, a stark, grassless suburb. Sal's displacement from Bybanks is traumatic precisely because Bybanks was a landscape of life—pigs, cows, maple trees, and the singing trees that seem to communicate with her mother, Sugar. In this environment, blackberries were not just a food source but a shared ritual between Sal and her mother. The act of picking blackberries together was a foundational memory, a sensory anchor to a life that no longer exists. When Sal is forced to move to Euclid, a place she initially perceives as barren and hostile ("No trees? I said. This is where we're going to live?"), the appearance of blackberries becomes jarring. However, the motif does not remain a symbol of pure loss; it transforms into a tool for processing grief. As the story progresses, the blackberry becomes a sign that Sal is ready to move forward, integrating her past into her new reality.
The Landscape of Memory: Bybanks and the Roots of the Motif
To fully appreciate the significance of the blackberry motif, one must first understand the emotional geography of Bybanks. This rural setting is not merely a backdrop; it is the physical manifestation of Sal's connection to her mother, Sugar. The reference facts highlight that Bybanks was a place where nature was abundant. Sal's deep love for this environment is evident in her shock at the lack of trees and grass in Euclid. The "singing tree" is a recurring element in Bybanks, a tree that Sal believes holds her mother's spirit. This connection between nature and the deceased mother sets the stage for the blackberry motif.
In Bybanks, blackberries were a shared activity. Sal recalls mornings where she and her mother would wake to find flowers left by her father, John, only for her mother to react with feelings of inadequacy. In a poignant turn, Sugar would surprise them with dishes of blackberries, stating, "See? I'm almost as good as your father!" This moment reveals the depth of the mother-daughter bond. The blackberry was a symbol of her mother's attempt to measure up, to show love through simple, natural gifts. When Sal recounts these memories, the blackberry becomes a sensory bridge to a time before loss. The specific act of her mother kissing a tree in their yard, leaving a dark blackberry stain on the bark, creates a vivid image of intimacy between the human and the natural world. This specific detail—that the tree "tasted like blackberries"—cements the fruit as a direct sensory link to Sugar.
The transition from Bybanks to Euclid is marked by the absence of these natural elements. Euclid is described as a place with "not enough grass to keep a cow alive for five minutes." In this stark contrast, the sudden appearance of blackberries in Euclid is not just a coincidence; it is a narrative signal. It suggests that the essence of Bybanks—specifically the memory of the mother—can permeate the new environment. The motif functions as a ghost of the past that haunts the present, but in a way that eventually becomes constructive rather than destructive.
The Evolution of the Blackberry: From Trigger to Healer
The trajectory of the blackberry motif is one of the most sophisticated narrative devices in Walk Two Moons. Initially, the blackberry acts as a traumatic trigger. When Sal first encounters blackberries in Euclid, the scent or sight of the fruit immediately recalls her mother, triggering a wave of grief. This is the initial stage of the motif: the blackberry as a reminder of what has been lost. It represents the raw, unprocessed pain of bereavement. However, as the novel progresses, the meaning of the blackberry shifts. It ceases to be a symbol of pure absence and becomes a symbol of presence and continuity.
The transformation is best illustrated through Sal's interactions with other characters. In the beginning, the blackberry is solely associated with the memory of Sugar. But as Sal navigates her new life in Euclid, the motif expands. When Sal visits Ben's mother at the psychiatric hospital, she and Ben share a kiss. Ben remarks that the kiss "tasted like blackberries." This moment is crucial. It signifies that the symbol has migrated from the past to the present. The blackberry is no longer just a memory of a dead mother; it has become a flavor of a new connection with a living peer. This indicates a pivotal shift in Sal's emotional state. She is no longer trapped in the past; she is able to integrate the memory of her mother into her current relationships.
Furthermore, the motif expands to include her new life in Euclid. The narrative notes that while Euclid was initially "totally negative" in Sal's eyes, the presence of blackberries there signals a change. The blackberry is no longer exclusive to Bybanks; it is a thread that connects her history to her future. This evolution suggests that grief is not a wall that blocks the future, but a bridge that leads to new experiences. The blackberry becomes a sign that Sal is healing. It marks the moment she stops wishing she could leave Euclid and starts accepting it as part of her life journey.
The Singing Trees and the Spirit of Chanhassen
Inextricably linked to the blackberry motif is the concept of the "singing trees." These trees are not merely botanical features; they are symbolic vessels for the spirit of Sal's mother, Chanhassen (Sugar). The reference facts indicate that Chanhassen was named for the sugar of a maple tree, establishing a linguistic and spiritual bond between the mother and the flora. When Sal visits her mother's grave, she experiences a moment where "the birdsong came from the top of the willow," and she deliberately avoids looking too closely, wanting it to remain a "singing tree" communicating from the afterlife.
This connection between trees and the mother's spirit is vital for understanding the blackberry motif. The blackberry is the fruit of the land, and the singing trees are the voice of the land. They are two sides of the same coin: nature as a medium for spiritual communication. Sal's experience at the grave, where she wishes for the trees to be singing to her, mirrors her earlier memories in Bybanks where her mother kissed the trees. The blackberry stain on the tree bark becomes a physical testament to this connection. It is a sign that the natural world is not silent; it holds the memory of the departed.
The symbolism of the singing trees reinforces the idea that grief can be a form of dialogue. Sal does not need to "look too closely" at the birdsong; the belief that the trees are singing is sufficient for her to feel a connection. This psychological mechanism is central to the novel's exploration of empathy and the role of stories in human experience. The singing trees and the blackberries together form a cohesive symbolic system where nature acts as a witness to personal history.
The Marriage Bed: Objects as Historical Witnesses
While the blackberry is the primary motif, it is part of a larger symbolic structure involving objects that carry personal history. A parallel symbol is Gramps' marriage bed. The reference facts detail that Gramps frequently points out that motel beds are not their marriage bed, which was a piece of furniture that had witnessed his entire life. Gramps' declaration that "that bed will know everything there is to know about me" establishes a theme of objects as repositories of memory, much like the blackberry is a repository of Sal's memories of her mother.
This comparison highlights a key theme: significant objects and symbols act as anchors for identity and continuity. The bed, like the blackberry, is a physical object that accumulates the weight of major life events. The marriage bed was where Gramps and his siblings were born, where he and Gram got married, and where he intends to die. Similarly, the blackberry is where Sal's relationship with her mother was most vividly expressed. Both symbols serve to ground the characters in their personal histories, providing stability amidst the chaos of life changes, such as moving cities or losing a loved one.
Comparative Analysis of Key Symbols
To further illustrate the depth of the symbolic network in Walk Two Moons, the following table compares the primary symbols and their evolving meanings throughout the narrative.
| Symbol | Initial Meaning (Bybanks/Past) | Evolved Meaning (Euclid/Present) | Function in the Narrative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackberries | A trigger for grief; a memory of shared picking with Mother Sugar. | A sign of healing; a connection to new relationships (Ben) and a bridge between past and present. | Tracks Sal's emotional progress from shock to acceptance. |
| Singing Trees | A representation of the mother's spirit and love for nature in Bybanks. | A medium for communicating with the afterlife; a sign of empathy and spiritual connection. | Facilitates the theme of empathy as a source of understanding. |
| Marriage Bed | A witness to Gramps' entire life history and family lineage. | A symbol of continuity and the weight of personal history. | Anchors the characters to their roots amidst displacement. |
| The Pet Chicken (Blackberry) | A link to the farm life in Bybanks. | A link to Sal's new life in Euclid; signifies the change in her perception of her new home. | Demonstrates the integration of past memories into current reality. |
The Role of the Pet Chicken Named Blackberry
One of the most concrete manifestations of the motif is the pet chicken named Blackberry. This gift from Ben serves as a pivotal plot point. When Ben gives Sal the chicken, he names it "Blackberry." This act is deeply symbolic. Initially, the chicken is a link to her farm life in Bybanks and her mother. However, the narrative explicitly states that when Sal brings the chicken back to Bybanks, it also becomes a link to her life in Euclid.
This dual connection is crucial. The chicken named Blackberry is a living embodiment of the motif's evolution. It is not just a memory of the past; it is a living creature in the present. The naming of the chicken confirms that the blackberry is no longer just a tragic symbol of loss. It has become a sign of new life and new friendships. The chicken bridges the gap between the two worlds Sal inhabits. It signifies that Sal's grief has not erased her mother's influence; rather, her mother's influence has adapted to her new environment. The chicken acts as a tangible, living sign that the memory of Sugar is still active and present, even in the sterile landscape of Euclid.
Empathy and the Intrusion of the Past
The novel also touches upon the theme of empathy as a source of understanding. The blackberry motif facilitates this theme. When Sal recalls her mother's reaction to her father's flowers—where she felt inadequate and offered blackberries instead—it reveals a deep empathy within the mother. She wanted to match the generosity of her husband. This memory, triggered by the blackberry, allows Sal to understand her mother's emotional state, fostering a deeper empathy for her loss.
Furthermore, the motif connects to the theme of the past's intrusion into the present. The blackberries are the physical intrusion of Bybanks into Euclid. They are the mechanism by which the past remains relevant. Sal's journey is not about forgetting the past, but about finding a way to live with it. The blackberry is the sign that this integration is possible. It shows that the past does not have to be a burden; it can be a resource for healing.
The Grief Process: From Denial to Acceptance
The progression of the blackberry motif mirrors the stages of grief. Initially, the blackberry is a source of pain, a reminder of the "dissatisfied woman" (a motif mentioned in the reference facts) or the loss of a parent. This corresponds to the stage of denial or depression in the grief cycle. Sal wishes she could leave Euclid and forget it, just as she wishes she could go back to Bybanks.
However, as the story unfolds, the blackberry transforms. When Sal shares a kiss with Ben that "tastes like blackberries," and when she accepts the chicken named Blackberry into her new home, she moves toward acceptance. The motif signals that she is no longer running from her grief. She is carrying it with her, not as a heavy burden, but as an integral part of her identity. The blackberry becomes a sign of her resilience. It proves that memory and grief can coexist with joy and new connections.
The Significance of the "Dissatisfied Woman" Motif
The reference facts mention a motif of the "dissatisfied woman." This motif is closely tied to Sal's mother, Sugar, who felt she could never measure up to her husband's generosity. The blackberry was her way of expressing love and attempting to bridge that gap. This motif highlights the internal struggle of the mother, which Sal inherits and processes. The blackberry becomes the physical manifestation of this internal struggle and its resolution. It is a sign that the "dissatisfied" feelings of the past can be transformed into a symbol of contentment and connection in the present. The motif of the dissatisfied woman is resolved through the blackberry, showing that understanding and empathy can heal deep-seated feelings of inadequacy.
Conclusion
In Walk Two Moons, the blackberry is far more than a fruit; it is a complex, multi-layered symbol that serves as the central sign of Sal's journey through grief. It begins as a painful trigger for memories of her mother in Bybanks, evolves into a bridge connecting her past and present, and ultimately becomes a sign of healing and new beginnings in Euclid. Through the motifs of the singing trees, the marriage bed, and the pet chicken, the blackberry illustrates how personal history is preserved in objects and symbols. The narrative demonstrates that the past intrudes into the present, not to hinder progress, but to provide the empathy and strength needed to navigate loss. The blackberry is the definitive sign that Sal has found a way to carry her mother with her, transforming grief into a source of strength and connection.