47 pages • 1 hour read
Wiley CashA Land More Kind than Home
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Snakes
Snakes are a motif related to the theme of The Influence of Religious Fervor. Carson Chambliss integrates snake handling into his services, largely as a result of his literal interpretation of a Bible passage that promises that faith in God can prevent humans from being harmed by their poison. The snakes he handles—and encourages his parishioners to handle as well—are indeed dangerous, as underscored when Ben Hall instructs Jess to bury a similar snake that he has killed. Though the snake is dead, Ben still fears its venom and does not want another animal to fall prey to it. When its body—separated from the head—lashes unexpectedly while in Jess’s hand, he understands how uncontrollable and unpredictable a snake can be.
It is Sheriff Barefield who draws a parallel between Chambliss himself and the snakes he keeps. Chambliss admires the way that snakes shed their skin, considering this a metaphor for redemption—how humans can cast off their bad behaviors and adopt new ones. Barefield, however, points to the fact that Chambliss’s skin was damaged by fire: His new, grafted skin serves as a reminder of his crimes and is an external manifestation of how he has not improved himself nor changed into a new, honorable person. To Barefield, Chambliss is poisonous, much like the snakes he admires.
This symbolism resonates with the associations surrounding snakes in Christian teaching: Christian scripture tells of the first humans being tempted by the devil, who took the form of a snake. Eve, the first woman, allowed herself to be taken in by the snake’s promises of knowledge and was then led astray by it, causing the downfall of all of humanity. Thus, snakes embody evil, cunning, manipulation, and destruction—much in the same vein that Chambliss does, particularly in his “temptation” of Julie Hall.
Stump’s Quiet Box
Jess explains that their mother designed a special box for Stump from a shoe box that she terms his “Quiet Box.” Jess explains that the box calms Stump and helps him retreat from the world when it becomes too overwhelming. The box is filled with small treasures that Stump has collected—small toys and trinkets as well as items from nature. These items are filled with wonder and joy for Stump, and though they are of no real value, he regards them as if they were. Importantly, the box belongs only to Stump; Jess is instructed not to touch it.
The box is a motif reinforcing the fact that Stump has some type of undiagnosed disorder or disability for which he receives no medical treatment. His family, however, has discerned what kinds of conditions are helpful for Stump and ensure that he is comfortable, content, and safe. The quiet box is one of these conditions—Jess comes to recognize the power that the box has for Stump. Through selecting items to place in the box, Stump voices his interests and passions to his family in a way that his lack of speech does not allow for otherwise. When the Christmas gift that Jess gives Stump goes missing, Jess is relieved and pleased to find it inside Stump’s box. Its location is proof that Stump appreciates the gift and, in turn, that Stump cares for Jess and loves him, valuing their connection.
When Jess experiences stress as a result of the trauma of Stump’s death and the absence of his parents, he longs for a quiet box of his own to comfort him. However, Jess’s desire for a box goes unfulfilled, underscoring its symbolic connection to Stump, who is now lost forever.
Darkness
The motif of darkness recurs numerous times throughout the novel. In both Christian theology and much literature, darkness takes on two related meanings: the presence of evil and a lack of understanding or knowledge. In A Land More Kind Than Home, the first mention of darkness evokes both: Chambliss has covered the church’s windows with newspaper to prevent outsiders from being able to look in on the services. This results in making the sanctuary dark and gloomy—indeed, when Jess attempts to observe what is happening to Stump during the service, he can hardly see because of the dark. Darkness here represents both the suspect nature of Chambliss’s actions and the ignorance that he cultivates among both his congregation and the community at large.
Later, when Barefield questions Chambliss about Stump’s death, he finds Chambliss sitting alone in a dark barn. The lack of light nearly completely hides the building’s contents: numerous snakes that Chambliss keeps in cages. Here again, dark signifies secrets, underscoring Chambliss’s need to cover up his motives. Darkness surrounds Chambliss, and he is comfortable in it, suggesting that he is an evil man who is not to be trusted.
During the time following Stump’s death, Jess frequently finds himself in dark rooms. He is instructed to sit in the dark dining room of Adelaide Lyle’s home while Stump’s body is brought in. Later, he sneaks into the dark room where Stump’s body lies. When his grandfather finally returns him to his home, Jess discovers that the bathroom light has burned out. Many scenes take place at night while Jess lies in bed. This darkness underscores Jess’s lack of understanding about what is going on around him—namely, within Chambliss’s church and between his mother and Chambliss. He is forced into this darkness, partly because he is a child and partly because the adults around him neglect him in the aftermath of Stump’s death, failing to care for Jess or explain what is happening.
