The motif of self esteem
Jemmy doesn't realize that other people are helping her form her self esteem, but of course they are. When her own father says that her education is not that important, she just goes along with that. Not surprisingly, other Native American students are also prone to drop out early in this novel, because they are subtly mistreated by their teachers and peers. Jemmy is constantly treated as though she were less important than the other students. Luckily, this painful journey of low self esteem ends on a happy note, because Otis Chapman helps her see her real worth.
The unclean clothes
Jemmy takes care of her two siblings. Since their mother is gone, and their father is an alcoholic, Jemmy takes care of the whole house while still in high school. Then, when she goes to school, she gets in trouble because she's wearing dirty clothes. The dirty clothes are a product of her constant sacrifice, because she's dirty for having worked at the house. But the principle thinks it means that she just likes being dirty. This misunderstanding symbolizes a greater misunderstanding: the tendency to look down on the poor.
The Maiden of Eagle Rock
The local legend is meaningful to the story because Otis paints Jemmy into the picture, putting her in the role of the Eagle Rock maiden. This symbolizes Jemmy's real worth, because to pose as a legend gives her a sense for what it would be like to be legendary and memorable. She feels called to greatness, so the legend represents Jemmy's own value as a thing to be beheld.
Jemmy's symbolic name
Jemmy is short for Gemstone, and her middle name is Opal. That means that her first and middle name are synchronized in a way, and both of those names signify exceptional worth. Gemstones are very expensive, and opals are no exception. Jemmy's own identity is rooted in value, but when she tries to esteem herself correctly, she realizes that she has a hard time feeling valuable. Therefore her name is a symbol of her journey toward self love and acceptance.
The blizzard
The blizzard is a symbol for radical change. Both literally and figuratively, Jemmy is moving into winter, and the blizzard symbolizes the change that Jemmy's friendship with Otis Chapman will bring. In the story, the blizzard is responsible for the two of them meeting, and with Otis comes perspective (she travels out of their small town for the first time) and self love (because Otis values her).
