The Buzzards
Buzzards and vultures are a symbol of imminent death, as they patiently wait for their prey to die of thirst and exhaustion.
The Wire
The coach driver says that "all that country and Jimville are held together by wire." Therefore, the wire represents adaptability, emphasizing that the people who live in the Sierras are independent, highly versatile and able to improvise.
The Celebration of the Sixteenth
The Celebration of the Sixteenth includes flags and anthems as national symbols. Interestingly, "they sing everything, America, the Marseillaise, for the sake of the French shepherds hereabout, the hymn of Cuba, and the Chilean national air to comfort two families of that land." This mixture of national symbols emphasizes that even though the people may come from different parts of the world, they are all united in their village and respect each other.
The Open Hand
At Las Uvas, people truly care for each other. Austin uses the symbol of "the open hand," which illustrates that people lend each other a helping hand, putting the needs of others first: "The meal done without buys a candle for the neighbor's dead child. You do foolishly to suppose that the candle does no good." Helping others is a manifestation that every true gift comes from God.
Houses of Earth
Austen states that at "Las Uvas every house is a piece of earth," which represents the inhabitants' connection with Mother Earth, as they live a self-sufficient lifestyle without exploiting nature. Moreover, the houses symbolize that Earth gives them shelter and provides for them.
