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The Peppermint Tree
The whale bones uncovered on the beach in Longboat Bay by an intense storm symbolize Abel Jackson’s family history. The bones are remnants of the whales Abel’s ancestors hunted when they first came to Longboat Bay over a hundred years ago. As such, the whale bones represent the livelihoods of previous generations of Jacksons. Now that the bones lie openly on the sand, it seems to Dora Jackson, Abel’s mother, that this family “history” has “unearth[ed] itself,” as if the land and sea are actively reminding her of the past. The whale bones indicate that even though much time has passed, the effects of the Jacksons’ past deeds still linger in Longboat Bay in the present, connecting Dora and Abel to the inhabitants of the bay who came before them.
Furthermore, seeing thousands of whale bones exposed on the shore makes Dora more vividly aware that the Jacksons have long depended on the ocean’s resources. Although the Jacksons no longer hunt whales, Dora and Abel continue to live off the sea by fishing to feed themselves. The whale bones emphasize to Dora how important it is to give back to the sea as much as she takes from it. Hoping to maintain respectful balance with the ocean, Dora realizes that now it’s “time to help the sea live,” just as it has helped her family live for generations.
Whale Bones Quotes in Blueback
The Blueback quotes below all refer to the symbol of Whale Bones. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 13
Quotes
She walked down to the shore to see a strange jumble of white stumps on the beach. As she got close she saw they were whale bones, thousands and thousands of them all along the bay. They stood like posts and broken teeth and tombstones where the storm had exposed them. Dora Jackson stepped over and under and around them. It was like walking through a graveyard. These bones had lain here under the sand of Longboat Bay for a century or more. She’d walked over them for forty years without knowing. It was a terrible feeling having history unearth itself so suddenly.
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[The Jacksons] had lived from the sea all this time. Dora saw what must be done. Now it was time to help the sea live. She must protect the bay for all time.
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Chapter 14
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At sunset he stood on the jetty and watched a big blue shadow circle beneath him and peel off into the golden light. The wind luffed at his hair. Cicadas in the dry grass clicked their tongues. Crabs bubbled and clattered across the rocks. Whalebones made a chain all the way along the beach, yellow in the sunset. Abel felt the place was calling him; it made him dizzy.
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Whale Bones Symbol Timeline in Blueback
The timeline below shows where the symbol Whale Bones appears in Blueback. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 13
The next morning after the storm, Dora discovers thousands of whale bones exposed on the beach, as though “history” has “unearth[ed] itself.” When Dora walks among the...
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Chapter 14
...Abel stands on the jetty. He sees a large blue shadow in the water and whale bones on the beach. He feels as though the bay is “calling him.” Stella joins Abel...
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