Symbolism Of Water In Annie John

Water symbolizes restoring, strengthening the bond between mother and daughter. Annie John deeply admires her mother, which is demonstrated when she enjoys different activities with her. For example, Annie and her mother often bathe together, highlighting a close mother and daughter relationship. According to Annie, “my mother would bathe different parts of my body; then she would do the same to herself. We took these baths after my mother had consulted with her obeah woman, and with her mother and trusted friend” (14). These baths are intended to wash away evil spirits that may be nearby. However, these baths also allowed Annie and her mother to build a stronger bond, since the two would spend more time with each other. Also, Annie mentioned …show more content…
Annie, now maturing, starts to receive a different outlook, especially for her mother. She admits that her dreams were often representations of her own life. During the long rain, for example, Annie dreams that she “started to drink in the sea in huge great gulps. . .But then little cracks began to appear in [her] and the water started to leak out” (112). Water illuminates Annie’s transformation. The water Annie drinks internally flows and purifies her, as the leaking water contains Annie’s old-self, now washed away. This also foreshadows her upcoming psychological growth, now that her young self will be washed away to reveal a new, stronger Annie John. Water,present during the long rain, plays an important aspect when Annie’s attitude towards her family changes. After the long rain, Annie states, “how much I never wanted to feel [mother’s] long, bony fingers against my cheek again, how much I never wanted to hear her voice in my ear again” (127). After the long rain, Annie’s attitude towards her mother changes, since she considers independence from her. Water not only foreshadows Annie’s growth, but also illuminates …show more content…
Annie John is independent starts to leave her childhood home behind. As she walks on the jetty, a flood of thoughts come upon her. Of such thoughts, Annie realizes that “I had nothing to take my mind off my fear of slipping in between the jetty” (144). Just as water in a bathtub becomes contaminated after a shower, the water in the sea contains the difficulties and aspects of her childhood that is washed away. Annie does not want to fall into the water. In other words, she does not want to return to her immature self several years ago. Also, as Annie enters her ship which will eventually lead her to England, she feels nostalgic as she recounts her memories from Antigua. As she does this, she also realizes the soft sounds of the world around her. Annie noticed “the small waves lap-lapping around the ship. hey made an unexpected sound as if a vessel filled with a liquid had been placed on its side and now was slowly emptying out” (148). Much like the pilgrim’s hopes when heading to the New World, Annie’s “new life” is much like a rebirth of her identity. Instead of a ten year-old child reliant on her mother, Annie John is an independent individual prepared to start a new life on the other side of the

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