Archer's Voice

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 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.