The problematic representation of Pines communities
There is a symbolic association in New England about the Pine Barrens with savagery which McPhee works to diagnose and correct. Most of the cruel crimes committed in the Barrens were committed by people who weren't from there, but who traveled into the woods to commit crimes. McPhee hopes to correct this wrong symbolic association.
The motif of narratives
The Pines are defined by their folkloric story telling and their acute memory for interesting events. There are no less than 5 stories told or described in the book.
The allegory of progress
Another distinguishing factor of life in the Pines is that it is not technologically advanced, and most of the people still live off the land directly. There is a chance that progress will soon invade this strange respite from modernity, but McPhee says that won't happen for some time. The place is strangely undeveloped.
The motif of memory
In small communities, interesting events take on an almost legendary quality, probably because life is less controversial in those communities than in huge cities. This means that the community remembers interesting facts for years, and in the case of Emilio Carranza, they honor his tragic death every single year, still.
The allegory of fire
To understand fire is a complex process, and its one that is at the center of understanding these woodlands. By showing that fire is necessary but dangerous, McPhee shows the symbiotic way citizens try to exist in the Pines, and the threat of unnecessary or uncontrollable wildfires.
