50 pages • 1 hour read
Carol Ryrie BrinkCaddie Woodlawn
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1935A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Scalp Belt
Indian John’s scalp belt symbolizes the fascinating and terrifying nature of Native Americans in the eyes of white settlers, as well as the trust between Indian John and Caddie. When John first gives Caddie the scalp belt, she feels a “prickling sensation up where her scalp lock” grows, signifying that Caddie is not immune to the terror that white settlers assign to such an object. Capitalizing on that fear, the children hold a show to share it with their friends, knowing they will want to see it because of white settlers’ fascination with the terror associated with the Native Americans. The Woodlawn children decide to call the belt “Big Chief Bloody Tomahawk’s favorite scalp belt” (153), further capitalizing on that fear and curiosity.
The scalp belt also represents the trusting relationship between Indian John and Caddie. Indian John speaks of the belt’s value, telling Caddie that it belonged to his father. Caddie’s actions during the massacre scare ensure that John sees her as a trustworthy friend. Caddie promises to keep the belt safe and chastises her brothers when they want to touch it, saying that she has to “keep it nice for John” (149). Caddie’s determination to protect a belt made with the hair of dead people indicates that she values her friendship with John and feels pressure to maintain his trust in her.
Gate
After John Woodlawn’s father was disowned, his mother took him to the family estate to see the grand house and grounds, complete with peacocks. Because his father was disowned, John Woodlawn can only see the family’s peacocks and other symbols of wealth through a large locked gate. Mr. Woodlawn references this gate several times, as does Caddie when she recalls her father’s hurt at the mistreatment of his father by these wealthy relatives. Therefore, in this context, the gate symbolizes the misplaced pride of John’s grandfather in disowning his son for marrying beneath his station. That pride forces the young John Woodlawn to “look between the bars of the great gate” (90), separated from what should have been his birthright.
Annabelle’s Tiny, Jet Black Buttons
On Annabelle’s first evening in Wisconsin, she insists on doing some of the uncivilized things that the other children do. However, when she descends the stairs the next morning, she is wearing a dress that has “a row of tiny black jet buttons that stood out and sparkled” (229). These buttons symbolize the stark difference between Annabelle and Caddie. Annabelle’s choice of dress, with the impractical buttons, demonstrates her role as a lady for whom outdoor adventures are not commonplace, as her dress is unlikely to hold up through the day’s events. Annabelle explains that the buttons are for decoration and boasts that she has more buttons than any of her friends; they are a status symbol that make her the envy of all her friends and represent Annabelle’s ladylike disposition. Later, when the “buttons had disappeared from her beautiful frock” (235), Annabelle is heartbroken. After suffering indignities brought on by the Woodlawn children, this symbol of Annabelle’s propriety is taken from her. The next day Annabelle does not wear buttons, instead opting for a simple blouse and skirt, indicating that anything symbolizing ladylike qualities is unnecessary in Wisconsin.
