Later, Rachel tells her daughter, Jackie, that she and Dillion used to fish in the water, and she reminisces of a pool above the shoals for swimming, and a ford. Through Rachel, Giardina further convinces her reader to regard water as a symbol of negativity and a portent of destruction. Hassel Day dreams of building a bridge across the river, a solid foundation to avoid the dangerous water below. We'd build it ourselves but the creek is too wide. In The Unquiet Earth , Giardina presents water as a ruthless, savage destroyer of life, far from the stereotypical symbolic use of water as related to regeneration and purity.
Water destroyes the community, as well as the lives of many innocent victims.
Families are ripped apart, and whenever water is spoken of, there is usually distress and misfortune to follow. Through this novel, the author reminds her readers that what is often viewed as innocent and good can also be violent, merciless, and relentless. Works Cited Giardina, Denise. The Unquiet Earth .