The Town

The town symbolizes the toxic and narrow-minded culture that often afflicts remote, rural areas. The men of the town are portrayed as unkind, unscrupulous individuals who care only about money. Jim Laird blames the men for propagating their toxic, greedy values into the very essence of the town, and thus Sand City has become a locus of moral and personal corruption.

Sculpting

Sculpting symbolizes art, beauty, and kindness. As is typical of Willa Cather’s fiction, “The Sculptor’s Funeral” portrays art as a source of goodness and personal fulfillment. Harvey’s sculptures never make a physical appearance in the main narrative, but Henry thinks about how beautiful all of the Harvey’s sculptures are. As an adult, away from Sand City, Harvey is able to practice kindness and create beautiful works of art.

The Parlor

The parlor symbolizes the incongruity between Harvey’s childhood...