Morning Girl

In literature, trees often symbolize life due to their natural process of growing and changing with the seasons and heritage, as the roots of a tree anchor it to the ground like roots in a personal or cultural context. In Morning Girl, the tree to which Star Boy clings during the storm is a powerful symbol of familial and ancestral ties, highlighting the novel’s central theme of The Significance of Cultural and Familial Bonds. Star Boy describes it as follows:

To my right was a very large tree, a special tree with fingers that dug into the earth. Usually the higher branches were filled with red parrots. It was a place people sat under during important times. The trunk was so broad, the bark so old and carved, that you could find in its designs the faces of all the people who have ever died, if you needed to talk to them once more. We went there to look for the new sister when she didn’t come home, and there she was, not far from my grandfather (41).

The tree is an ancient and sacred presence within the community, with its broad trunk carved with the faces of ancestors. It is a physical manifestation of the community’s respect for their elders and their bond with those who came before them. It links the living with the past and represents the strength of familial and cultural ties. During the storm, Star Boy clings to the tree because he knows “it was the one tree that would surely remain tomorrow in the same spot it had been today” (41). This reflects Star Boy’s trust in the strength of his familial ties and cultural heritage, represented by the ancient tree. His mystical encounter with his grandfather while holding onto the tree reinforces this symbolic connection. The tree provides physical protection and emotional support during the storm, illustrating how familial bonds can guide and protect people in times of difficulty.