The Sculpture
The cherry woodblock that Gertie sculpts throughout the novel act as an emblem of her determination to the family. Attributing to her religious inclination, she intends to carve a figure to mimic either the image of Jesus or Judas. The irony is in the intended outcome considering the polarity of the two figures in the scripture. Moreover, after she finally finds the face of the figure, she immediately destroys the block in order to provide for her family.
The Purchase
While Gertie has a dream to purchase and own a home in rural Kentucky, Clovis is intending to relocate his family to Detroit. The dramatic irony arises when Gertie is torn between proceeding with buying the Tipton place and moving to Detroit. Clovis is not aware of the potential purchase and Gertie is left with the weight of making the tough decision.
The Sacrifice
Though Gertie is practically close to achieving her dream, Clovis disrupts her plans and has to make a sacrifice. Ironically, her sacrifice hardly becomes worthwhile since their best moments turn out to be in the past. Their urban experience becomes a sort of a cosmic joke as the situation worsens by the day. War and economic issues render their relocation a mistake that costs them their livelihood and peace of mind. Tragedy further befalls the family after the daughter Cassie dies from a train accident.
Quantity over Quality
In an effort to sustain the household, Gertie has to be innovative in her artistry to make a living. Once again, she has to make choices that differ from her views in this case her creative process. Her husband convinces her to adopt mechanized means to carve her figurines to increase production hence high sales. This choice is further topped by the decision to chop the woodblock into smaller pieces for more doll carvings.
