Sea
The sea is a symbol of freedom and hope; indeed, the sea cannot be tamed and will always persist. For the islanders, it can bring supplies and soldiers from Britain to help the islanders. The sea also provides fish to help the community to survive. Looking out at the sea, one can be eased by the waves and for a time forget the horrible occupation. It is also the sea that takes their children to safety in England. Their children are free from the horrors of the occupation and they are thankful for this even though they do not get to see them for five years. The Red Cross brings supplies to the islanders by boat and this offers them some relief from their famine. They are given food and seeds to help replant their barren gardens. The sea also brings the British Army who bring supplies and officially ends the occupation. The sea brings the islanders freedom and hope for the future of the island.
Books
Books are a symbol of escape. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society begins to evade punishment from the Germans, but grows into much more. Through books, the islanders can escape the horrors of the occupation for a time. Through stories, they can travel to other lands and times and enjoy life. Through the society, they also find life-long friendships that help them through the occupation. These friendships become strong and change each person for the better. They become more confident and are loyal to one another. Books become part of their lives and make a bleak time more tolerable.
Letters
Letters are a symbol of love. The letters from Guernsey to Juliet Ashton begin with Dawsey Adams’ love of the works of Charles Lamb and his need to read more of his books. This flourishes into a vast letter campaign from Guernsey that leads Juliet to go to the island to write a book about the inhabitants and the German occupation. She falls in love with the islanders and the island. Letters connect each character. This connection is strengthened by each letter received. It is an intimate form of communication and it is significant that Markham Reynolds, Jr. does not write to Juliet when she is on Guernsey, but telephones. It shows that their relationship is not one of love. Dawsey cherishes Juliet’s letters and keeps them secreted away in a special box. This shows his love for Juliet and when she finds out about it, she proposes to him because she knows that this is love.
Potato Peel Pie
Potato Peel Pie is a symbol of famine. The islanders were starving near the end of the occupation because there was no more food left. The livestock was gone and gardens could not be planted without seeds. The Potato Peel Pie was a substitute for a desert that would usually accompany a get together like the society meetings. Will Thisbee will not attend the society without food so comes up with this desert. He tries to offer food for the group, but his attempts with the small amount of food supplies available are not well received. Having Potato Peel Pie as part of their society’s name shows how desperate the people were and that the society was not born from a love of books, but from desperation during a bitter time of war. The people just tried to make the best of the situation and offer one another support and a break from the monotony of the German occupation.
Pig
The pig is a symbol of rebellion. The inhabitants must have their livestock documented by the Germans during the occupation. The islanders are able to secret a few animals at first. When an animal dies, the German soldiers to come and record the death, but they do not take the dead carcass so the farmers pass the carcass around so that other farmers can hide one of their live pigs and inform the Germans that they have lost one of their litter and the death was recorded. They do this until the soldiers become wise to it. This is how Amelia Maugery can have a pig for the secret pig roast that starts the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The farmers do what they can to rebel against the occupation and rules of the Germans and help provide for the community.
