Sal’s Journey to Adulthood
in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
Sal’s Journey to Adulthood in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
Yu-Ting Shu, Ching-Yu Chang (徐于婷、張菁育)
National Hsinchu Girl High School
Class 201
Instructor: Chou- Chu Lee (李秋菊)
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Sal’s Journey to Adulthood
in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
I.Introduction
1. The presentation of ideas in the novel
Walk Two Moons is an attractive novel, which is filled with exaggerated characterization,
complicated plot as well as humorous voice. Just like most typical accomplishment romance novel
centering on a young protagonist that comes to the adult world after a long hard travel, Sal, the lead
role in Walk two moons, too, embarks on a “journey” to look for what she is eager to know.
Sharon Creech establishes the parallel construction, which is a distinctive technique of narrative.
There are two times in the novel, one is the present-- Sal's trip to Idaho with her grandparents and
the other one is the past-- all the things about Sal which happened in Euclid, Ohio. Sal's story and
Phoebe's story are also thought of as another parallel construction. Phoebe's story mirrors Sal's story;
they seem the same but a little different in substance. After all, Sal and Phoebe are two individuals.
2. The summary of Walk two moons
This is a story about a girl named Salamanca Tree Hiddle, who experiences many things in the
course of two years. Everything starts when her mother suffers a miscarriage and loses her ability to
have children. Afterwards, her mother decides to leave home. In order to stop her from recalling her
mother, her father decides to move to a new place. But this can’t prevent her from thinking about
her mother. So she decides to embark on a journey to look for her mother with her grandparents.
Along the way, they stop at all the sites her mother has visited, and meet many problems. She also
tells her grandparents her best friend, the story of Phoebe on their journey. The two young girls
have many similar situations happening in their life. Their mothers left homes for their reasons. And
the two girls both try hard to search for their mothers. In Phoebe’s home porch, there are many
messages appearing one after one. They should find out the clues and realize the meaning behind
them and at last in response to their search, Phoebe’s mother comes back home. Meanwhile,
accompanying Phoebe’s searching, Sal accepts the truth that her mother died in a car accident.
3. About the author—Sharon Creech
Sharon Creech was born July29,1945, in South Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, and grew up
there with her parents (Ann and Arvel), sister (Sandy), and three brothers (Dennis, Doug and
Tom).She received a BA from Hiram College and a MA from George Mason University.
Sharon Creech is the best-selling author of the Newbery Medal winner Walk two moons, and the
Newbery Honor Book The wanderer. She is also the first American in history to be awarded the
CILIP Carnegie Medal for Ruby holler. Her work also includes the novels Absolutely normal
chaos(1990), Pleasing the ghost(1996), Chasing redbird(1997), Bloomability(1999), and Love that
dog(2001), and two picture books: A fine, fine school and Fishing in the air.
She is married to Lyle Rigg, who is the headmaster of The Pennington School in Pennington, New
Jersey, and has two grown children, Rob and Karin.
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Sal’s Journey to Adulthood
in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
II. Thesis
Characters, the nature world, written texts are all central factors to Sal’s process of growing mature.
First, the people around Sal are her relatives, friends and the important roles in this book. They have
tremendous influence on Sal’s personality, opinion and life. Second, the nature world is another
important thing in Sal's life, because of her mother’s love for nature which in turn leads to Sal’s
passion for nature and thus becomes a part of her life. Third, the written texts include messages with
some deeper meaning. The five messages are given to Sal and Phoebe by Mrs.Partridge, who wants
them to realize the true meaning behind them. In the following report, we deal with their functions,
and then the interaction between them.
1. People around Sal
1.1Sal's grandparents
Sal’s grandparents act as buffers in the long journey. When the situation goes too serious for both
Sal and readers to gasp, Sal’s grandparents always face it with an optimistic attitude and say
something easy to cheer others up. Sal’s grandparents also play important roles leading readers to
comprehend the context. Though Sal’s grandparents look naïve, they sometimes bring up critical
questions (p.55) or give useful tips to Sal (p.152).
Sal may enjoy a comfortable relationship with her grandparents. Although Sal’s grandparents
sometimes act unconventionally like children and need Sal to parent them (p.26), they actually give
Sal a sense of security from home unlike Sal’s mother or father (Sal’s point) treats her in some kind
of abandoned ways.
In the whole story, Sal’s grandparents may be “the most successful couple” among all the couples.
They love as well as know each other while Sal’s mom always considers her husband doesn’t
realize her (p.110). Besides, they often have quarrels, symbolizing a kind of communication to
improve affections (p.206) Contrary to Sal’s grandparents, the Winterbottom family looks
harmonious in the surface but in fact lacks the love between members (p.30-32).
1.2Sal’s parents
Before Sal’s mother leave, Sal’s family might be a pleasant one close to Sal’s grandparents, but the
whole family can’t be solid any longer and collapses without Sal’s mother.
Sal’s mother originally plays a competent role of a housewife (p.33). It is the miscarriage that flares
up her feelings accumulated year after year (p.149). She gradually becomes a self-centered person
rather than a responsible mother and wife. To find her herself (her desire to be called real name
instead of meaningless nickname), she leaves without any announcement and start her own journey.
Sal’s father acts a passive role from the beginning to the end. He loves his wife very much (p.35)
and can do anything for her unconditionally, but his loving wife abandons him. He also cossets his
daughter Sal (p.109), but Sal becomes unsociable (p.89) after losing her mother and misunderstands
him. Hardly can Sal’s father do anything but to grieve over his wife's death; however, it doesn’t
mean he breaks down his emotion (p.272).
Through the whole story, Sal’s mother doesn’t really appear in reality. Only from Sal’s memory can
readers learn. In other words, Sal’s mother is invisible in the story, but her influence does not fade,
especially on Sal. Her leave pushes Sal to face the adult’s world unwillingly and become a
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Sal’s Journey to Adulthood
in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
deliberately quirky girl. It goes without saying that Sal’s mother is a key factor to excite Sal to start
her journey (p.5). Unlike Sal's invisible mother, her father is always there symbolizing a sturdy
supportive role silently.
1.3. Margaret
Everyone except for Sal counts it as natural and right that Margaret Cadaver attends the Hiddle
family. Margaret is so considerate and affectionate that no wonder Sal keeps her at a distance in the
beginning as a result of Sal's speculation that this woman is eager to take her mother's place (p.87).
Margaret definitely prompts Sal to face her family squarely. Sal's mother's leave causes the collapse
of the Hiddle family, and Sal wants to retrieve this circumstance. Astonished and anxious about
Margaret's appearance, Sal doesn't want to lose any of her family again, but she is powerless to
prevent her father from calling on Margaret over and over again (p.13). Therefore, Sal rejects her
father's proposal to talk with Margaret (p.10) as well as evades them, and in turn the
misunderstanding goes more tangled (p.90).
Margaret Cadaver has a lot of answers to the riddles of the story. Through a long-time
communication with Margaret (p.254), Sal realizes that her mother died in a bus accident, and
learns Margaret met her father because she was the only survivor from the bus crash (p.271). From
wailing bitterly to being able to talk about it tranquilly (p.269), Sal becomes more mature as well as
sensible after hearing the astonished fact.
1.4. Phoebe and the Winterbottom family
Phoebe Winterbottom is just like a mirror reflecting Sal herself (p.189). On account of the same
circumstance they face -- their mothers left without any hints (p.125-126), Sal settles on helping
Phoebe find her mother back. During the process of searching for Phoebe's mother, Sal sometimes
acts like an observer. She observes that Phoebe's temper changed to being uneasy and terribly
suspicious, which is similar to what she felt then (p.133).
Sal accompanies Phoebe to what she wants, such as detecting the imaginary murder and abduct. It
is appropriate to look on the process of finding Phoebe's mother as Phoebe's own journey. Sal
attends the journey, and she combines it with her own journey; therefore, she gradually apprehends
what her mother thinks when she makes up her mind to leave the family.
Pals are important to everyone in the adolescence. Due to Phoebe's quirky characteristics such as
being too mature and suspicious, she should have no buddy in the class, but Sal has become her pal.
There are so many similarities between the two girls that they attract each other (p.189). Instead of
an incomplete adolescence, Phoebe and Sal learn from as well as depend on each other and
gradually leave the prisons they set for their own.
The Winterbottom family depicts a version of the family life that Sal and her family experienced
just before her mother left. The members in the Winterbottom's are withdrawn and confused by their
own sadness. We could realize it by observing the meals. Meals serve a crucial function in most
families. As we can see, meals at Phoebe's are stiff and silent (p.30-32). Different from the
Winterbottom family's refusal to communicate (p.103), Sal makes consistent efforts to communicate
with her father.
1.5. Mr. Birkway
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Sal’s Journey to Adulthood
in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
Mr. Birkway, Sal's English teacher, is an energetic and creative teacher (p.80). He asks his students
to write journals in the summer and collects them on the first day of class (p.80). Each journal is
every student's personal observation of something drawing her or him or personal secret. They
believe Mr. Birkway and write it down in their journals. However, Mr. Birkway breaks the trust and
discloses the contents of the journals to the class though he changes the names in the journals
(p.199). There is no denying that this action has caused a deep scar in every student's heart (p.200203). Sal is relieved for not being disclosed the secret as she doesn't hand over her first journal
(p.83). But it causes Sal to be more careful and unwilling to share her feeling with another person.
1.6Ben
He loves Sal and both of them are having their first love. This chaste love between the teenagers
might like their sweet blackberry kisses. In the progress of their love, they have many limbs contact
and some funny conversation (p.63). In the interaction with Ben Sal can really comprehend what
the taste of falling in love. Therefore, she can understand the difficulty between a couple or husband
and wife (p.113).
Ben is a naughty boy but he is also a considerate boy, especially to Sal. He often quietly stays with
Sal. He wants to protect her. And Sal gradually melts her mind to accept Ben. He walks into her
mind and she can have more mental thought than before (p.125).
1.7 The lunantic
He is the man that leads Phoebe into fear so that she executes her mother, Mrs.Winterbottom’s
words. Phoebe closes the windows and doors all in her home to be ready for any eventuality.
Phoebe and Sal have thought wild flights of fancy about everything since they met him (p.42).
Phoebe’s mother goes away from home mainly for him. Because of his existence, Phoebe and Sal
are nervous. He even causes them to have the vigilance to others.
He is the key factor that Phoebe finds her mother and realizes why her mother leaves them. In the
process of searching for mother, there are lots of stories in relation to this occurrence. He is
Phoebe’s brother, but he has no blood with Phoebe’s father. Phoebe’s mother wants to give him a
home and take care of him. He is the symbolization of maternal love (p.252-253).
1.8 Mrs.Partridge
The elderly Mrs. Partridge is a blind woman and also the symbolization
of wisdom. In spite of her blind eyes, she has the acuter sensibility for everything than normal
people (p.22). Mrs. Partridge’s auditory sense, tactility, even her good faculties of memory are
useful for her to live in safety (p191).
Mrs. Partridge is the character that plays the guide role in this book. She writes five anonymous
messages for Sal and Phoebe in the course of the story and she points out many things that people
usually forget (p.193). The five messages are the best certificate. They occasionally appear on the
plot.
1.9The Finney family
The Finney family is a big family, which is made up of five noisy kids and Mr. and Mrs. Finney, an
affectionate couple. Contrary to Sal’s family, the Finneys is close to Sal’s mother’s ideal family
(p.161).
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Sal’s Journey to Adulthood
in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
What Sal’s mother wants is lots of children and she can take care of them, play with them and she
can enjoy the amusement by doing these activities. They want to fill the house up with children. But
she couldn’t (p.50).
2. The nature world
2.1 Blackberries
Blackberries are involved in Sal's memories of her mother. The most impressive one is the mother
sneaking a mouthful of fresh blackberries and kissing a tree (122). To Sal's mother, the blackberries
symbolize not only nature's kindness and generosity, but also the gifts for Sal and her father. She
wants to share the earth's goodness with her family.
After Sal's mother left, she gradually thinks the blackberries as one part of her life. She begins
mimicking her mother to sneak a mouthful of fresh blackberries and kiss a tree, too (p.122-123).
Soon after, Sal becomes enjoyable to kiss trees and once writes it in her journal (p.214-215). To Sal,
the blackberries have changed from the symbol of the memories of her mother to the unexpected
and unsolicited small sweet things in life such as, a chicken from Ben named Blackberry (p.254).
2.2 The Singing tree
The word “Tree” is familiar to Sal because there is also a “Tree” in her middle name (p.7-8).
Throughout the story, there are three singing trees and each of them plays a prominent role of
expressing Sal's mighty emotional reactions to the nature world. The first singing tree is on Sal's
farm in Kentucky. It seems to sing on its own, but in fact, it contains a cute songbird in its highest
branches. When Sal and her father find out her mother's death, it does not sing. The second one is
outside the hospital in South Dakota which touches off Sal's memory of home (p.99-100). The last
one is located near Sal's mother's grave in Lewiston, Idaho, and Sal wants it to be the tree that can
really “sing.” (p.268)The singing trees represent the spontaneous generosity of the natural world
just like blackberries. They do not always sing, but they retain the ability to induce enjoyment.
3. Written texts
3.1The messages
3.1.1 ‘Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins. ’
This is the most important massage of all. It is not only the title of this book but also the first
message that appears. It delivers us that we shouldn’t judge until we’ve walked in their moccasins.
(P.61). Sal takes this advice to heart throughout the book, using her visualizations of other people’s
lives both to inform her own experience and to increase her compassion for others . By placing
herself into her mother’s moccasin, she realizes what feeling her mother feels and why her mother
decides to leave them. Afterwards, she is placing herself in Margaret Cadaver’s shoes. She is
annoyed by Margaret’s actions in the beginning, but finally she empathizes with her, who lost her
husband in a car accident, and consequently put her childish resentment of her aside. After Sal
recognizes the meaning of this message, she becomes something different. She has more sympathy
and she can handle her own affairs with care.
3.1.2 Everyone has his own agenda.
In this book, everyone has his/her own agenda. So, each one develops her own story. Everyone is an
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Sal’s Journey to Adulthood
in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
individual, with his or her own ideas, so he/she takes action in his/her own way (p.14). We might
transform ourselves into what others want us be, even that isn’t what the true self. That will be
untruthful. So the message delivers us that we can just do ourselves without others comments. Take
Sal and Phoebe’s mother for example. They both have their ideas and plans. But they once hesitate
to carry out their plans and even come into the thought of giving up, but still, they execute their plan
bravely. They decide to leave their families who are their beloved, and pursue their ideals.
3.1.3In the course of a lifetime, what does it matter?
This is the question that troubled not only Sal’s mother but also other people. Mrs.Winterbottom,
Sal’s mother, and Ben’s mother all experience depression or mental stress severe enough to affect
their day-to day lives. Mrs.Winterbottom and Sal’s mother are both clearly troubled by such roles as
the mother and wife, and they struggle to understand how their pasts and their “true selves” relate to
these roles, resulting in confusion, depression, and thus, they need to be alone. So what matters in
the course of a lifetime is an uncertain issue.
3.1.4You can’t keep the birds of sadness from flying over head, but you can keep them from
nesting in your hair.
This is a message that tells us not to pay too much attention to one thing and choose the right
attitude to face the problems. In the beginning, and Phoebe both face the problem pessimistically.
They don’t like Margaret. They always see her as a murderer, so they avoid approaching her (p.8485). But they realize the truth that she is a kind person lastly. Changing self’s mind and getting other
different thoughts (p.102).
3.1.5We never know the worth of water until the well is dry.
At the end of this book, Sal realizes that she has experienced many things in the searching for her
mother’s journey. Consequently, she has more chances to think independently and she grows up in
these days. She also annotates for her mother’s leave (p.258). She is relieved. She finds everything
around her is meaningful such as the people and the wonderful fortune. So she treasures them and
lives happily with them (p.280). Likewise, Phoebe also realizes her mother’s importance after she
leaves. So, while her mother comes back home, she is trying to be more considerate to her.
3.2The Postcards
After Sal’s mother leaves, these postcards have disturbed Sal for a long time. Whenever Sal sees
these postcards, they always remind her that her mother needed to leave her and her father to take a
long trip. She even threw them to the bottom of the bed so that she wouldn’t see them any longer.
However, as the time goes, Sal gradually realizes this trip is necessary to her mother to search her
soul and each postcard expresses a mother’s love for her lovely daughter (p.144). At last, these
postcards have become Sal’s mental support and memories of her mother (p.278).
3.3The journal
In addition to one of the forced assignments, the journal is also regarded as a personal diary to every
student. It records their different lives from ordinary trifles to conflicting emotions. Even though Mr.
Birkway's students consider it an embarrassing revelation of their most private thoughts, we can
know more about each student's mind (p.200-203). In other words, revealing the journal is one of
the forms of the message “don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins.”
Needless to say, it would be really regrettable if Sal hadn't written down her personal journey
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Sal’s Journey to Adulthood
in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
(p.179).
III.Conclusion
Sal really learns a lot and steps into the adult world stage by stage through interacting with people
surrounding her and the nature world around her. Among these elements are the three following
principle subjects.
The first one is the people and the natural world around Sal. The people around Sal make her spirit
grow up by their own experiences. Each experience is derived from an individual story. At the same
time, each story plays a distinct role in the narrative. Sal uses Phoebe's story to come to understand
her own story well. Sal's grandparents' story makes Sal realize her family history as well as loves
and life. From Margaret, Sal sees a virtue of accommodating. With Ben, Sal has a taste of the first
love for the first time. The nature world always relieves Sal's mood and reminds her of its
spectacular power. As a result, Sal becomes closer to these permanent friends after ending the
journal.
Second, the journey composed of the elements above is not only an access for characters appearing
in the novel to search for what they want to know or want to obtain, but also a means of escaping
from a painful present. Throughout each unique emotional journey, Sal realizes her mother's death
and becomes more sensible; Phoebe begins to accommodate herself to a family with a renewed
mother and “lunatic” brother; Sal's mother and Phoebe's mother lives more truly and fully in their
original roles. The following chart is about the comparison of different journeys which can help
readers comprehend easily.
Searching for what
Her mother
With who
Her grandparents
Sal's mother's
journey
Phoebe's journey
Herself
Herself
Her mother
Sal
Phoebe's mother's
journey
Herself
Her son
Sal's journey
Consequence
Knowing the fact
that her mother
had died
Finding out herself
Her mother's
return with a new
brother
Returning home
with her son
Last but not least, what Sal learns the most important is one of the messages called “Don't judge a
man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins.” Sal doesn't know why her mother leaves
her family without bringing her with her only when she "walks two moons in her mother's
moccasins" does she gradually understand her mother’s thoughts. Sal also “walks two moons in her
father's moccasins”. But at first, she rejects to hear any explanations from her father and Margaret.
Finally, Sal takes her father into account and realizes that her father still loves her mother and
moves to other place to avoid scenes in the hometown paining his heart. Sal distinctly grows up and
becomes mature through practicing this useful message.
When we are young, we all have to grow up by learning from others' experience, and so does Sal.
"Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins." is certainly a pertinent
message to Sal's life. She has used this message to gain philosophy of life and understand her
mother. Maybe Sal will live by this message in the rest of her life.
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Sal’s Journey to Adulthood
in Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons
IV. Reference
(1) Sharon Creech. (1994). Walk two moons. New York: Harpercollins
(2) Sparknotes-walk two moons Analysis
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/twomoons/canalysis.html
2009/02/13
(3) Sparknotes-walk two moons Symbols
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/twomoons/themes.html
2009/02/14
(4)楊雅捷、林盈蕙(譯) (2005)。兒童文學導論：從浪漫主義到後現代主義。台北市：天衛。
(5)山中康裕 (2006)。哈利波特與神隱少女：進入孩子的內心世界。台北市：心靈工坊。
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