80 pages • 2 hours read
Something Like Home
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Symbols & Motifs
Birds
Birds symbolize freedom, happiness, intelligence, and reflection. Laura’s favorite animal, birds fascinate her and remind her of happy times with Dad: “but at least that means I can look at birds, / which I’m actually pretty good at identifying / ‘cause Dad is basically an expert / and he taught me well” (46). When her family was united, Laura was as unencumbered and free as birds. From facts about the woodpecker to flamingos, birds represent this freedom and contentment she felt with her family. These animals connect her to her parents in their absence. Therefore, she seeks birds out for comfort and joy, such as finding solace at the pond with geese.
Birds also aid in personal reflection. Laura uses birds and their patterns as a lens to view her situation, herself, and others. In the second poem, her owl shirt hints at this connection: “Most birds don’t recognize their family members / after more than a year has passed. / So it makes sense that I’m wearing / my favorite owl shirt / as I stare at a woman [Silvia] I don’t recognize” (3). Sometimes, Laura can only fathom her changing life in terms of birds. For instance, she shares a strong link to sparrows. Laura explains that sparrows were brought to the US from their original homes—just as she was brought from her home to Silvia’s unknown apartment. She even names Sparrow after these “temporary” birds because she didn’t expect him to stay either.
Through many of the “Did You Know?” poems, birds also embody intelligence and personal reflection. Laura gives facts about numerous breeds, including flamingos, ducks, geese, parrots, and herons. Lines such as, “Flamingos, they make friends for life. Which means they never have to start over with people/never have to explain big change” (43), and, “It makes me feel like a little snuggled-up parakeet” (15), enrich the symbol while showing Laura’s mental acuity. For further examples, Silvia buys her bird stationary, and Laura’s nickname is “woodpecker.” She also relates her parents working in rehab to gray parrots, who are “famous” for working in teams, though some choose to work alone: “Because maybe my parents / are those parrots, / not doing what people expect. // And maybe I just need to trust them” (202). These are a few of numerous examples of bird data and comparisons that emphasize the symbol.
Letters
Letters represent emotional depth, longing, communication, and separation. In each of Laura’s letters, she offers raw emotions. Writing allows her to be vulnerable with her parents:
I miss you a lot. A lot a lot, which you can probably tell because I’m sending you so many letters. […] I’m training Sparrow to be a therapy dog […] And then I’ll be able to come see you! No matter what Janet said about rules. Isn’t that cool? Our own secret visiting plan. (DON’T TELL JANET.) (149-50).
Through letters, Laura can admit secrets and share truths she wouldn’t express aloud. The letters convey her longing and enable freedom of expression, providing emotional release. Her parents’ letter also highlights this symbol. Like Laura, Mom can express herself candidly—from regrets to her love for Laura—in writing. Through this exchange, letters represent the importance of open communication.
In every letter, Laura’s longing for her parents and lingering trauma are clear. Because she fears they’re angry with her and guilt plagues her, Laura apologizes repeatedly. The letters are a safe space to process her guilt. She also pleads with her parents to get better and return: “Janet says the only way I can go back to you is if you get clean and do what they say. […] You can do it. I know you can. […] I just want you back” (201). Lines like this emphasize Laura’s complex emotions and the painful separation. They stress the longing for a family reunion and the encouragement her parents need. Overall, the letters are emotionally cleansing and keep Laura’s faith alive.
The Temporary
Reinforcing ideas about time, protecting oneself, and Laura adapting to her new life, the “temporary” is an important motif. The word “temporary” and similar time-related terms like “short-term,” “short time,” “permanent” and “forever” appear more than 30 times in the novel. These terms spotlight Laura’s obsession with her parents’ return and refusal to acclimate. From the beginning, Laura insists that her stay with Silvia, her relationships with Benson and Sparrow, and her overall situation are temporary. She denies her new life, rather than immersing in it, to avoid emotional attachment and potential pain. Because she believes she’s in a brief transition, Laura doesn’t think adapting to her present situation is worthwhile.
The motif leads Laura to compartmentalize, identifying what’s lasting versus what isn’t to shield herself from further hurt. Since her life changed drastically one day, Laura relies on compartmentalization as a coping mechanism: “[M]y mind still determined to put Benson and Sparrow / in the temporary part of my brain / ‘cause otherwise everything / would just hurt too much” (125). Her conflict with Benson reflects this struggle; her belief in the temporary nature of everything devalues their friendship. Eventually, Laura learns that even if something isn’t permanent, it can still be meaningful. Upon accepting life’s unpredictability and the “temporary,” she adapts, resolves conflicts, and finds peace with Silvia, Benson, and Sparrow as her forever—not temporary—family.
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