Peanut Farm

The Walkers’ peanut farm symbolizes equality of opportunity. After George and Isabelle decide to use their land as a peanut farm, they hire Prentiss and Landry, with no hesitation regarding the fact that Prentiss and Landry are Black. At the end of the novel, Isabelle begins to rent out the farmland to many different people, regardless of their race.

Landry’s Death

Landry’s death symbolizes the violence of racial objectification. August kills Landry in order to keep August and Caleb’s relationship secret. August has no hesitation about this act of violence, as he does not see Landry as human. Rather, because of August’s racial prejudices, he sees Landry more as an animal or object.

Lack of Investigation

The lack of an investigation into Landry’s death symbolizes injustice and unequal protection under the law. Technically, following the Civil War, Black Americans were...