Significance of The Wilderness Mosaic

At the end of the novel, Agnes creates a Wilderness scene with a mosaic of paint swatches on the walls of her bedroom. This is not only a symbol of Agnes's connection to Bea, who was an Interior Decorator in the city, but also a tribute to Agnes's past in the Wilderness. Considering that gaze is of the utmost importance to Agnes, this is her visual attempt to help solidify her connection with her adopted daughter Fern through their mutual memory of the Wilderness. Fern recognizes the scene, which signals hope for the future strength of their mother-daughter relationship.