The Wooden Cross: A Symbol of Guilt, Forgiveness, and Redemption in Reminders of Him
The Wooden Cross as a Central Symbol
In Colleen Hoover's Reminders of Him, a simple wooden cross placed at Scotty's roadside accident site becomes one of the novel's most powerful concrete symbols. It first appears in Kenna's hands as an object of theft and later returns as a token of reconciliation. This study guide traces the cross's literal role, its recurring appearances, the shifts in its meaning, and its deep connections to the novel's characters and themes—including guilt and grief, motherhood, forgiveness, redemption, and second chances. Four study questions with answers are provided at the end.
What Is the Wooden Cross? Its Literal Role in the Story
The wooden cross is a small, handcrafted memorial marker that someone—presumably Scotty's mother, Grace—placed on the side of the road where Scotty died. It bears the date of his death. Kenna describes it as exactly the kind of roadside memorial Scotty hated. When she first arrives back in town after her release from prison, she stops her taxi, pulls the cross from the ground, and steals it. Kenna's motivation is not spite but a twisted sense of loyalty: she took it because she knew Scotty would have detested such a monument.
The cross is not an elaborate religious icon; it is a plain, wooden object that functions as a physical stand-in for both the memory of Scotty and the guilt Kenna carries. Throughout the first half of the novel, the cross remains hidden in her apartment, a secret she keeps even from Ledger. It represents her unresolved guilt and her refusal to let go of the night that ruined her life.
Recurrence and Transformation: Where the Cross Appears and How Its Meaning Changes
The cross appears at three critical junctures in the story, each time carrying a different emotional weight.
1. The Theft (Chapter 2)
Kenna steals the cross within minutes of arriving in town. She tells the taxi driver she placed it there—a lie—because she cannot admit she is robbing a memorial. At this point, the cross is a burden. Kenna is still trapped in her guilt; she believes she killed Scotty by inaction (she thought he was dead after the crash, but he actually crawled several meters). By taking the cross, she attempts to control one small piece of the past, but the act only deepens her isolation. The cross becomes a private emblem of her shame, something she cannot show anyone.
2. The Return with Diem (Chapter 43)
Months later, after Kenna has begun to build a fragile relationship with her daughter Diem and has received tentative forgiveness from Grace and Patrick, she decides to return the cross to its original spot. She drives to the site with Ledger and Diem. Kenna guides Diem to place the cross back in the hole and help hammer it into the ground. When Diem asks why they are doing it, Kenna explains that it will make Nana (Grace) happy if she ever passes by. She also tells Diem honestly that her father (Scotty) probably did not like such memorials, but "sometimes we do things for the people we love, even if we wouldn't choose those things for ourselves." In this scene, the cross transforms from a stolen object of guilt into a gift of respect and a gesture of connection between Kenna, Diem, and the Landrys.
3. The Epilogue’s Subtle Echo
In the epilogue, Kenna has given birth to a son named Scotty. While the cross is not physically mentioned again, the presence of Scotty's namesake completes the arc of healing. The cross—once a painful reminder of death—has been replaced by a living reminder of life and legacy. The symbol has shifted from grief to hope.
Character Connections: Who Touches the Cross and Why
Kenna Rowan
Kenna’s relationship with the cross mirrors her emotional journey. Initially, she steals it because she cannot bear to leave a monument to a man she believes she killed. The cross is her secret shame. Later, when she returns it, she is no longer defined by her worst moment. The act of returning the cross is also an act of self-forgiveness; as she says in the epilogue, "Now that I’ve forgiven myself, memories of him only make me smile."
Diem Landry
Diem’s participation in returning the cross is crucial. Though she is only four when the cross is returned (and seven in the epilogue), her innocent questions—“Why are we putting this here?” and “Will it make my dad happy?”—force Kenna to articulate her motives. Diem even asks if she can hammer the cross, symbolizing her small role in healing the family’s wound. Her wish for a sibling (a "little sister or brother") ties the cross scene directly to the story’s hopeful outcome.
Grace Landry
Grace never touches the cross on-page, but she is the presumed original placer. Her forgiveness of Kenna (shown in a powerful hug in Kenna's apartment) allows Kenna to let go of the cross. The cross is a physical representation of Grace’s grief; by returning it, Kenna acknowledges that grief and offers a gesture of peace.
Scotty (Deceased)
Although Scott is dead, his opinion of roadside memorials is the key to understanding the cross’s symbolism. Kenna steals it because “Scotty would hate it.” This shows that even in death, Kenna prioritizes Scotty’s wishes over public displays of mourning. By the end, she has learned to balance honoring Scotty’s memory with respecting Grace’s need to grieve.
Theme Connections: Guilt, Redemption, Motherhood, and Forgiveness
- Guilt and Grief: The cross is a tangible anchor for Kenna’s guilt. She cannot move on while she possesses it. Returning it signals her release from the shame that has defined her for five years.
- Redemption: The journey from theft to return is Kenna’s personal redemption arc. She proves to herself and to others that she can make amends, even in small ways.
- Motherhood: By involving Diem in the return, Kenna begins to share pieces of her past with her daughter, teaching Diem about honesty, respect, and doing things for loved ones. It is a pivotal moment in their bonding.
- Forgiveness: The cross’s return happens only after Grace has forgiven Kenna. Without that forgiveness, Kenna might never have dared to put the cross back. The act of returning is itself an acceptance of forgiveness.
- Second Chances: The cross, once a symbol of one tragic night, becomes a symbol of the second chance Kenna, Ledger, Diem, and even the Landrys receive to build a new family together.
4 Study Questions with Answers
Q1: Why does Kenna steal the cross in the first chapter?
Kenna steals the cross because she knows Scotty hated roadside memorials. She believes she owes it to him to remove it. The theft also reflects her deep-seated guilt; she cannot face the public memorial of the man she thinks she killed. Keeping the cross hidden is her way of trying to control the narrative of that night.
Q2: What changes between Kenna’s theft of the cross and her return of it?
Between the theft and the return, Kenna undergoes a transformation from a woman paralyzed by shame to one who can accept forgiveness. She builds a relationship with Ledger, receives Grace’s heartfelt forgiveness, and begins to know her daughter Diem. The cross’s return marks her decision to move forward rather than cling to the past. She no longer needs to own the memorial because she has made peace with her own memories.
Q3: How does Diem’s involvement deepen the symbolism of the cross?
Diem’s presence turns the return of the cross into a family ritual. She asks honest questions, hammers the cross into the ground, and even wishes for a sibling. Her innocence contrasts with Kenna’s heavy guilt. By including Diem, Kenna introduces her daughter to the concept of doing things for people we love, even when they are hard. The scene becomes a lesson in empathy and a step toward building a new family.
Q4: What does the cross ultimately represent by the end of the novel?
By the epilogue, the cross represents survival and legacy. Kenna has named her infant son after Scotty, ensuring that his memory lives on in a joyful way. The cross, once a marker of death, has been replaced by a living child. Kenna’s ability to think of Scotty without sorrow (“thinking about Scotty no longer makes me sad”) shows that the symbol has fully transformed from grief to gratitude.
Conclusion
The wooden cross in Reminders of Him is far more than a plot device. It is a mirror for Kenna’s innermost feelings: guilt, shame, hope, and love. Through its theft and return, Colleen Hoover illustrates that sometimes the hardest objects to let go of are the ones that hold our pain. By giving the cross back to the earth, Kenna finally gives herself permission to move on—and to build a future that Scotty would have wanted.
For further exploration, see the full book summary and detailed studies on redemption, motherhood, and forgiveness. Character pages for Kenna Rowan, Ledger Ward, Diem Landry, Grace Landry, Patrick Landry, and Roman offer additional insights.