Mother Tree

In the absence of a mother, the woods symbolize the nurturing mother who is notably missing from the children's lives. Daddy calls the oldest tree in the forest the mother, because she is the source of all other trees in the woods. The mother tree is the origin of the wood, the flowers, the fruits, and the creatures that Daddy and the children use for subsistence and shelter. In the absence of a mother, Daddy's mention of the mother tree is especially notable, since it is the first allusion to a maternal figure.

Christmas Tree

During Winter, the siblings visit the Christmas Tree and collect its boughs for firewood and other crafts. However, they notice that some boughs are scorched and when they return to the tree, it appears to be mutilated. They do not know why it looks so different from the other trees...