The Antique Ring as a Symbol of Love, Loss, and Forgiveness in Reminders of Him

Introduction

In Colleen Hoover’s novel Reminders of Him, the antique ring that Scotty bought for Kenna before his death becomes one of the story’s most powerful physical symbols. It first appears as a cherished memory from a time of young love, disappears after the tragedy, and finally resurfaces in the climax when Grace gives it to Kenna. This essay unpacks what the ring literally is, where it recurs in the narrative, how its meaning shifts, and how it connects to the book’s central themes of redemption, motherhood, grief and guilt, forgiveness, and second chances. It also links to key characters such as Kenna Rowan, Ledger Ward, Grace Landry, Patrick Landry, and Scotty (through the memory).

The Ring’s Origin and Literal Description

The antique ring is a delicate gold band with a pink stone. Kenna discovers it in a vintage shop during a date with Scotty early in their relationship. In a letter she writes to Scotty from prison (chapter 18), she recalls the day: “Era delicado y dorado y parecía pertenecer al dedo de alguien salido del siglo XIX. Había una piedra rosa en el centro.” Scotty asks the price—four thousand dollars—and after a humorous exchange about “a dove” (his odd expression), they leave without it. Instead, he buys her ten rubber hands for two dollars. That memory becomes one of Kenna’s most treasured, but the ring itself vanishes from the story until the final act.

Later, in chapter 41, Grace Landry reveals that Scotty called her the day Kenna saw the ring. He wasn’t ready to propose, but he already knew which ring he wanted. Grace and Patrick loaned him the money, and he gave her the ring for safekeeping until he could afford it. Therefore, the ring never reached Kenna during Scotty’s lifetime. It remained hidden with Grace for years—first out of anger, then as a potential heirloom for Diem.

The Ring’s Journey and Changing Meaning

From Token of Intention to Object of Bitterness

The ring’s initial meaning is a promise unfulfilled. Scotty’s act of buying it despite his poverty proves his deep love and his intention to marry Kenna. But after his death, the ring becomes a painful object for Grace. She admits, “No quería ese anillo después de su muerte. Y no quería que lo tuvieras porque estaba muy enfadada contigo.” In Grace’s hands, the ring represents everything she lost—her son, the future she imagined, and the daughter-in-law she blames for that loss.

The Ring as a Vessel of Forgiveness

The ring’s meaning transforms radically in chapter 41. When Grace visits Kenna’s apartment, she pulls out a small black velvet pouch and hands the ring to Kenna. She explains that she had decided to keep it for Diem, but after reading one of Kenna’s letters to Scotty, she experienced a “abrumadora sensación de paz” and realized the ring belonged to Kenna. The physical transfer of the ring embodies Grace’s shift from resentment to acceptance. By giving the ring, Grace symbolically returns what was always meant for Kenna: a place in the family, the legacy of Scotty’s love, and the opportunity to be Diem’s mother.

The Ring as Kenna’s Final Acceptance of Self

For Kenna, receiving the ring is not just a moment of forgiveness from Grace—it clears the path for Kenna to forgive herself. In the same chapter, Grace says, “Yo te perdono y tú me perdonas, y seguimos adelante juntos.” Kenna finally states, “Estás perdonada, Kenna.” The ring stays on her finger, a constant reminder that she is no longer defined by her worst mistake. By the epilogue, she wears it while writing to Scotty, telling him that their daughter Diem now lives with the Landrys but sees Kenna daily. The ring no longer symbolizes an unfulfilled promise; it becomes a tangible link between past and present love.

Character and Theme Connections

Kenna Rowan

Kenna’s entire arc is about reclaiming her identity as a mother and a person worthy of love. The ring connects her to her first love, Scotty, and to the future she lost. In chapter 18, she describes the memory of seeing the ring as a moment of pure joy—a time when she believed her happiness would last forever. When she finally receives it, it validates that the love she shared with Scotty was real and that his family now sees her as part of his legacy.

Grace Landry

Grace’s journey from hatred to reconciliation is crystallized by the ring. She admits she kept it for five years out of anger, but her decision to give it to Kenna marks her step toward healing. The ring becomes Grace’s way of releasing her own guilt—for keeping Kenna away from Diem—and of trusting that moving forward together is the best path for everyone.

Ledger Ward

Ledger does not directly handle the ring, but he is instrumental in making the transfer happen. He convinces Grace and Patrick to read Kenna’s letter (chapter 40), which directly leads to Grace’s change of heart. The ring’s appearance is the culmination of Ledger’s advocacy for Kenna. In chapter 42, after Kenna and Ledger make love, Ledger lies awake thinking of the dove—a sign he interprets as Scotty’s blessing. The ring, like the dove, is a physical sign that the past can coexist with the present.

Theme of Redemption and Second Chances

The antique ring is the novel’s most explicit emblem of redemption. It represents Scotty’s love that never had the chance to mature, yet it survives and is offered again. By placing it on Kenna’s finger, the Landrys give her a second chance at family and love. The ring says that even after devastating loss, love can be renewed—not by erasing the past, but by honoring it.

Theme of Grief and Guilt

Both Kenna and Grace carry guilt: Kenna for the accident, Grace for not forgiving sooner. The ring is a physical object that has been soaked in grief. For years it sat in Grace’s possession, unused and weighted with sorrow. When Grace finally gives it away, she releases not only the ring but also her own burden of anger. The ring’s journey from a drawer to Kenna’s hand mirrors the characters’ movement from frozen grief to active healing.

Theme of Motherhood

The ring also ties into motherhood. Grace originally thought to keep it for Diem, Scotty’s daughter. By giving it to Kenna, she acknowledges Kenna as the rightful keeper of Scotty’s legacy and as Diem’s mother. In the epilogue, Kenna writes that Diem still lives mainly with the Landrys, but Kenna sees her daily. The ring becomes a maternal heirloom—a bridge between two mothers (Grace and Kenna) who now share the role.

Four Study Questions with Answers

1. Why does Scotty buy the ring before he proposes, and what does that decision reveal about his character?
Scotty purchases the ring immediately after Kenna admires it, even though he cannot afford it. He calls his parents for a loan and asks them to keep it safe until he is financially ready. This shows his foresight, his deep commitment to Kenna, and his desire to make a future with her. It also reveals that he values her happiness even in small, concrete ways.

2. How does Grace’s motivation for keeping the ring change over the course of the story?
Immediately after Scotty’s death, Grace keeps the ring out of anger toward Kenna. Later, when she learns that Diem is a girl, she decides to save it as an heirloom for her granddaughter. Finally, after reading Kenna’s letter, she feels an overwhelming sense of peace and chooses to give the ring to Kenna, thereby transferring its meaning from a keepsake of loss to a token of forgiveness.

3. In what ways does the ring act as a symbol of the family’s acceptance of Kenna?
The ring was originally intended for Kenna by Scotty, so Grace’s act of giving it back directly fulfills her son’s wish. By doing so, Grace publicly declares that she sees Kenna as part of the family. She invites Kenna to dinner that same evening, where Diem immediately accepts her. The ring thus becomes the physical seal of the Landry family’s reconciliation with Kenna.

4. Why does Kenna think of the ring memory in prison, and how does that memory contrast with the book’s climax?
In chapter 18, Kenna writes to Scotty from her new job, recalling the antique shop visit. That memory is bittersweet: it celebrates their love and his quirky humor (the rubber hands), but it also reminds her of the future they lost. In the climax, when she actually receives the ring, the contrast is sharp. The ring is no longer a lost dream; it is a real object on her finger, proof that she is now part of the family and has been forgiven. The memory becomes a promise kept.

Conclusion

The antique ring in Reminders of Him is far more than a piece of jewelry. It binds together the novel’s core themes: love that transcends death, the long road to forgiveness, and the possibility of rebuilding a family after tragedy. Through its journey from a vintage shop display to Kenna’s finger, the ring traces the emotional arc of the entire story—a movement from youthful hope to devastating loss, and finally to hard-won redemption. For readers, it serves as a tangible reminder that even the deepest wounds can be healed when love is passed forward.