Here in the Real World

The church lot functions as the central motif in the story, representing the themes of Renewal and Rebirth, community, friendship, and Finding One's Purpose. The lot is initially an abandoned, broken-down space, but Ware quickly reimagines it as his castle—a place where he can live by the ideals of the knights he admires: “Castle designers incorporated sundials on south-facing walls like this, public timepieces for the villagers” (32-33). This observation demonstrates his tendency to apply a medieval framework to modern surroundings. The lot becomes more than just a playground; it's a blank slate for reinvention and a physical manifestation of Ware’s internal world.

The moat he and Jolene build around the church deepens the symbolism of the lot. It eventually fills with “honest water” (273), a reflective surface that shows him as he is, not as he wishes to be. Though Ware tries to use the baptistry to be "reborn" into a better version of himself, nothing magically changes, teaching Ware that growth is gradual, not instantaneous. Still, the lot does transform him: Through filming, digging, and collaborating with others, Ware discovers his artistic identity. Even though the lot is eventually sold, Ware manages to preserve its memory and essence through his four-minute film that includes footage of the growing papayas, the life that found its way into the lot, and the art that emerged from Ware’s imagination.