Palm Leaf Symbol Analysis

The palm leaf that adorns Harvey Merrick’s casket when his body arrives back in his hometown of Sand City, Kansas symbolize his extraordinary achievement as an artist in spite of the judgmental detraction he faces from the townspeople. This symbol has its roots in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean, representing victory, triumph, peace and eternal life. The palm leaf or branch also has rich significance in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Early Christians adopted the palm leaf as a symbol of victory over their spiritual enemies. The palm leaf would become an important part of Christian iconography as a symbol for martyrdom; its placement on a tomb indicating a martyr was interred there. By decorating Harvey’s coffin with this symbol, Cather is placing him in the same category as a martyr—someone who suffers religious persecution and death because of they are unwilling to give up their beliefs. Although the status of martyr is typically reserved for those who have died upholding their religious faith, the term is applicable to someone who refuses to abandon their principles due to outside influence. The palm leaf on Harvey’s casket thus represents and commemorates the fact that he lived his life committed to his artistic passion despite other’s negative opinions of him. Ignorant of the significance of both Harvey’s achievement and the palm leaf’s meaning, the townspeople of Sand City who stand over his casket illustrate the strained relationship between the figure of the artist and society.