What do green ribbons represent in the novel, Freedom From Want?

The green ribbons Nadia sets out for Saul symbolize new life. Nadia uses the ribbons in her prayers for Saul, illustrating her hope that Saul might soon recover with the help of a higher power. The color green is not only Saul's favorite color but a traditional literary symbol of newness, rebirth, and life. The ribbons therefore foreshadow the story's hopeful ending, and the ways in which hope might sustain the individual.