58 pages • 1 hour read
Mia SheridanArcher's Voice
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014A 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
The Dandelion
When Bree arrives in Pelion, she plucks a dandelion from her front yard and makes a wish for “peace” (17). This wish portrays Bree’s desire to move past the death of her father and find a future that is happy and safe. The practice of wishing on dandelions is a child-like act that reflects Bree’s insecurity after her traumatic experience. The act of wishing on a dandelion and blowing scatters the seeds in the wind. This allows the seeds to propagate and grow. In this sense, the dandelion symbolizes growth. After Bree first meets Archer, she finds dandelion sees scattered across her windshield (21). This foreshadows that the restoration of her peace and her eventual growth will, in some way, be connected to her relationship with Archer. In the Epilogue, Archer hands a dandelion to Bree, and she explains that she has nothing else to wish for (362). This is symbolic of her growth and maturity. She makes a wish for her sons who will grow as individuals and who already have grown the Hale family.
Archer’s House
Archer’s house reflects the emotional state of the protagonist. Archer stayed on this property from the time of his accident until his Uncle Nate died over a decade later. Archer’s house has a tall wall built around it, but in Chapter 5 Bree goes beyond the fence and finds a beautiful and meticulously kept stretch of land with a hand-laid driveway and emerald green lawn (42). The walls represent Archer’s isolation. Bree’s intrusion on his property is symbolic of her interrupting that isolation. When Archer begins to leave the gate open for Bree to visit him, he begins to open himself up to communication. Much like Archer, the people of the town make assumptions about the property based on the ugly walls built around it. Amanda, Ann, and Travis are all surprised by the property when they visit him. The beauty of his home is reflective of Archer’s inner beauty and his constant effort to care and grow, despite all that tried to tear him down.
The traps around the house were set by Uncle Nate, who played a large role in isolating Archer, which stunted his maturity. The traps represent elements of the outside world for which Archer is unprepared because of this upbringing, such as sexual experiences.
The Lake
The lake of Pelion symbolizes the balance between small town life and urban development. Pelion surrounds a beautiful, tranquil lake. One side of the Pelion lake is upscale, touristy, and hosts the nightlife throughout the novel. Bree visits this side of the lake on her date with Travis and a girls’ night with Melanie and Liza. This is the side of the lake that represents urban development and transience. Many of the Pelion residents draw their revenue and livelihood from this side of the town. It is necessary, but it does not have the friendships and interconnectivity of the other side of the lake.
The other side of the lake is where the locals live. Bree lives and works on the local’s side of the lake. This side of the lake represents the permanence and community of small town America. The lake lies cool and tranquil between these two sides, showing a balance between these two aspects of community. As a lake and not a river, it divides and yet connects the two sides.
Victoria Hale threatens to ruin the balance of the community by replacing the homes and small businesses on the local’s side of the lake with condos. Victoria does not consider the wants or opinions of the citizens. She only cares about personal gain.
Archer’s Voice
As Bree learns to communicate with Archer, his “voice” becomes symbolic to her. When Bree refers to Archer’s voice, she means all the varied ways in which he communicates as someone with a speech impairment. The novel concludes with Bree thinking “Archer Hale’s voice was one of the most beautiful things in the whole wide world” (360). Bree sees that their ability and willingness to communicate with each other is the strength they needed to move on from their pasts and protect the people they love.
