The Worth Of Loved Ones In Sharon Creech's Walk Two Moons

The Worth of Loved Ones

Phoebe Winterbottom and Salamanca Hiddle were best friends. These were two, 13 year-old girls who struggled with their loved ones leaving. When both Sal and Phoebe’s mother leave, they both end up in a similar situation of regret, denial and shame to what they had done to their mothers before they left. Have you ever done something rude to your own parents that you even regretted what you have done? In the novel Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, a major theme that contributes to the character Phoebe and the plot about Sal finally visiting her mother is you never know the worth of water until the well is dry.

Earlier in the story, Phoebe shows that she finally knows the worth of her mother before when she disappeared

Well, she might. A person—a mother—might do that.’ Phoebe said, ‘My mother wouldn't. My mother loves me.’ ‘But she might love you and still not have been able to explain.’ I was thinking about the letter my mother left me. ‘Maybe it would be too painful for her to explain. Maybe it would seem too permanent.’ ‘I don’t know what in the world you are talking about.’ ‘She might not come back, Phoebe—’ ‘Shut up, Sal’ ‘She might not. I just think you should be prepared—’ ‘She is too coming back. You don't know what you're talking about. You're being horrid.’ Phoebe ran into the house.”(Walk Two Moons, 181-182). These quotes show how the theme you never know the worth of water until the well is dry contributes to the character Phoebe because Phoebe acts guilty and is constantly worried about her mother and is denying the her mom will not come back. Phoebe had acted rudely to her mother before the day she left and now since her mother left, she acts constantly worried and is even collecting evidence

For instance, Sal finally realizes that her mother is not coming back, “It was a pleasant place. The Snake River curved behind this section, and tall, full-leaved trees grew here and there across the lawn. The sheriff parked the car and led me up a path toward the river, and there, on a little hill overlooking the river and the valley, was my mother’s grave. On the tombstone, beneath her name and the dates of her birth and death, was an engraving of a maple tree, and it was only then, when I saw her stone and her name—Chanhassen “Sugar” Pickford Hiddle—and the engraving of the tree, that I knew, by myself and for myself, that she was not coming. I asked if I could sit there for a little while, because I wanted to memorize the place. I wanted to memorize the grass and the trees, the smells and the sounds.” (Walk Two Moons, 253-254) According to Sal, she shows that she now values her mother even when she has died because she says “I kissed the willow. ‘Happy birthday,’ I said. In the sheriff’s car, I said, “She actually isn’t gone at all. She’s singing in the trees.’” (Walk Two Moons, 254) These two quotes show that the theme you never know the worth of water until the well is dry contributes to the plot of the story because even though Sal had acted rudely to her mother on the day before she left, Sal still had gone on a trip to see her mother. Sal going on the trip to see her