Gingerbread

The gingerbread the Lee women make throughout the novel represents ancestry and heritage. Harriet's attachment to making her great-great-great grandmother's gingerbread recipe illustrates her belief in the importance of preserving the voices and essences of her familial past. When Clio attempts to commodify the gingerbread, the reader understands the ways in which predominant societal powers use the fragile cultural aspects of minority peoples for their own gain.

The Wooden Rings

The wooden wheat sheaf rings that Harriet and Gretel wear symbolize the eternal bonds of friendship. Despite the time and distance that separates the two women as their lives evolve, they continue wearing the rings. Even when Harriet feels abandoned by her friend, she still holds onto the token. When Perdita returns from Druhástrana with Gretel's ring, Harriet begins to understand that Gretel has never left her side. The ring acts as a symbol of...