The River

The river symbolizes Rill's sense of home. In Mrs. Murphy's house, she regularly daydreams about the river and hopes to one day return with her whole family. It also represents Rill's old life. After the Arcadia burned down and Rill left the river, she decided to use her new name, May, let go of her old identity, and move toward a life with the Seviers.

Peppermints

When Rill first receives peppermints from Mr. Riggs, they represent a peace offering and a sense of friendship. Yet, after she realizes that Mr. Riggs abuses the children in the TCHS, the peppermints symbolize Mr. Rigg's dirty secret. When she finds Camellia covered in coal dust with peppermints stuck to her hand, she immediately knows that Mr. Riggs used the candies to lure Camellia in so that he could take advantage of her.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

This...