Trees

Throughout the novel, trees are likened to human beings. When James spoke through Sadie to a crowd of men who asked her to focus on botany, James told a story about a tree in his childhood backyard. When the tree’s bark was wounded, it formed a protective layer that was compared to a human scab. He, or she, explains that if a tree is punctured too deeply, it can contract an infection or parasite, just like human wounds. The sisters also warn Madge that trees are delicate and can die if one strips them of too much bark. Later at her wedding, Madge describes the body as belonging to the earth just like a tree does. This symbol is used to describe a conscious way of thinking about the human body as being a part of nature. It paves the way to view the body...