Heartwood

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, racism, and substance use.

“Sparrows are survivors.”

Sparrow is Valerie’s trail name and a nickname given to her by her mother, who claimed that sparrows know how to survive. Valerie does much to support this early characterization during the time she spends lost in the woods, developing the theme of The Deep Roots of Resilience and Survival. She does not give up, she remains calm, and she draws on her work as a nurse to navigate a series of difficult situations.

“Any woodsman who says he’s never been lost in the woods is a liar.”

The theme of Nature as Both Sanctuary and Adversary is central to the novel. Various characters use the woods to withdraw and reflect, noting that there is a clarity that descends upon an individual in nature that is not possible to achieve in the city. Nevertheless, dangers also lurk in the wilderness—even, as this passage observes, for those with significant experience outdoors. It is easy to become lost, and Valerie’s experiences speak to the difficulty of surviving in the backcountry alone.

“They don’t want fat people to hike, but they also don’t want poor people to hike.”

Santo is aware of the prejudice that exists within outdoors communities. As a Black hiker from an under-resourced community, he knows that he does not have the same background as most of the people he meets on the trails.