Nature and Morality

Gish Jen's explores links between nature and the philosophical ideal, consistently associating the natural existence of plants and weather with inherent truth or morality. Characters frequently use the phrase “true north” (71), indicating an external source for their internal beliefs and principles, and the phrase becomes a motif that symbolizes their attempts to act nobly and "be resisters" (71). The narrator posits nature's inherent truth as existing beyond the scope of human’s grasp, something they can only aspire toward; and nature takes the place of a God-like presence who offers guidance, comfort and nourishment. The family's garden, in particular, presents a setting through which these associations recur, and its symbolic importance carries through until the end of the novel, when Gwen and Grant return to the garden to plant, an image that represents hope and future growth after Eleanor's death.

With climate change having impacted...