Rowan's Leaf Skirt

The skirt is a symbol of defiance, but is also a symbol of Rowan's inherent need to have a connection with nature. The skirt is seen in the opening scene of the novel, when she and her friends are walking to class at Oaks. The skirt pushes the boundaries of the clothing rules at the school, but Rowan says there is nothing officials can do because it technically meets the code.

Second Children

Second-born children in Eden symbolize the government's control over the citizens of Eden, but they also symbolize EcoPan's effort to make humans into something they are not capable of being. Everyone believes the world is a wasteland outside of Eden, and that the population has to be strictly controlled in order to survive. That is not true at all, but EcoPan is still operating under the mandate to find a way...