Cold Mountain (Symbol)
Cold Mountain stands here as a symbol of home. It’s the last refuge for Monroe, and also for Ada who, having settled here, doesn’t want to go anywhere else, Ruby finds her happiness here, Inman runs from the war to this town. All roads lead to Cold Mountain, making it the shelter for each character.
The letters (Symbol)
The letters, which Ada regularly writes to Inman, symbolize the invisible connection between them, even when they are on the different sides of the country. These letters are full of love and devotion, thus they keep these feeling in their hearts.
War (Motif)
War is everywhere in the story; the novel is actually sodden with it. War settles the fates of the characters, it changes their minds, ways of lives, relations with others: Ada loses Inman, Ruby finds her love; Ada turns from a delicate lady to a diligent worker on her farm; Ruby makes peace with her father. War has its effect on everyone, either positive or negative. Surely war is a destructive force and makes people suffer a lot, but at the same time it makes them value important things like love, friendship, loyalty.
