Eddie's Ring in Summer Sons: Symbol Analysis

The Ring as a Physical Object and Its Introduction to Andrew's Story

Eddie's ring is a platinum band, a piece of jewelry that Eddie wore often—Andrew recalls seeing him open beer bottles with it. It enters the narrative in chapter 16, when Dr. Jane Troth, Eddie's academic mentor, gives it to Andrew at a faculty party. She claims she found it after a dinner party at her home, where Eddie had helped with dishes and left the ring by the sink. This moment is loaded with irony: the ring, which should be a simple keepsake, is handed over by a woman who will later be revealed as Eddie's murderer. The ring's introduction is thus tainted from the start, foreshadowing its role as a conduit for the curse that binds Andrew to Eddie's death.

The ring recurs at key moments in the narrative, each time carrying a heavier symbolic weight. In chapter 19, Andrew retrieves it from his ruined jeans, rolling it in his palm and considering it as 'one more piece of Eddie returned to him.' At this point, it is still a memento, a tangible connection to his dead friend. But by chapter 26, when Andrew deliberately puts it on, the ring transforms into a dangerous artifact. The moment the platinum meets his skin, it 'throbbed a spike of brutal, eldritch strength' through his hand, shattering his control and allowing the revenant to seize his body. This scene marks the ring's shift from passive keepsake to active supernatural tool—a switch that is both literal and symbolic.

The Ring as a Conduit for the Curse

The ring's function as a conduit is established through its effects on Andrew. In chapter 26, wearing it triggers a violent possession: the revenant takes over his limbs, his heartbeat stutters and stops, and he only escapes by slamming his head against the floor and shoving the power into the ground. The ring amplifies the curse that already lives in Andrew's blood, acting as a focus that makes the ghost's presence overwhelming. This is not just a physical reaction; it is a symbolic one. The ring, as an object Eddie wore and that now carries his spectral residue, becomes a vessel for the very force that killed him.

The ring's danger is further emphasized in chapter 27, when Riley removes it from Andrew's finger and suffers a blister from the contact. Riley, who is not a Fulton and has no inherited curse, is burned by the ring—a clear sign that it is not merely a piece of metal but a charged object that harms those who touch it without the proper bloodline. This detail reinforces the theme of the inherited curse, which is passed through blood and land, and the ring becomes a physical manifestation of that inheritance.

The Ring as a Tool of Manipulation and Revelation

The ring also serves as a plot device that reveals the motivations of other characters. In chapter 29, Jane Troth uses the ring to confirm that Andrew is the vessel Eddie chose. She has been manipulating events from the start, and the ring is the key to her plan: it allows her to test Andrew's connection to the curse and to force the final possession. The ring, which she gave to Andrew under the guise of returning a lost item, is actually a component of her scheme to steal Eddie's power. This twist recontextualizes the ring's earlier appearances—it was never a simple gift but a tool in Troth's academic and occult ambitions.

The ring also exposes the theme of academic exploitation. Troth's interest in Eddie's research is self-serving; she wants to claim his work and, ultimately, his supernatural power. The ring, as a symbol of Eddie's legacy, becomes a contested object that represents the theft of his intellectual and magical inheritance. Andrew's eventual use of the ring to lay Eddie's ghost to rest is a direct rejection of Troth's appropriation.

The Ring as a Vessel for Eddie's Ghost and Its Final Disposal

The ring's most significant transformation occurs in chapter 31, when Andrew uses it to transfer Eddie's ghost into the band. After burning down the Fulton plantation, Andrew takes the ring—which Riley had retrieved from Sam's house—and, at the edge of a sinkhole, slips it on and urges the revenant to leave his body and enter the metal. The ghost cooperates, and Andrew then pulls the ring off and throws it into the hole, saying 'Goodbye.' This act is both a literal and symbolic release: the ring, which once held Eddie's spirit in the form of the curse, now becomes a vessel for his ghost, and by discarding it, Andrew frees both Eddie and himself from the haunting.

The ring's final disposal is deeply meaningful. It is thrown into a sinkhole, the entrance to the caverns where Eddie and Andrew's childhood trauma occurred—the site of their first death, as Andrew reflects. The ring, which has been a conduit for the curse, is returned to the earth, symbolically breaking the cycle of inheritance. Andrew notes that the curse itself remains in his blood, but the ghost is gone. The ring, as a physical object, is no longer needed; its purpose is fulfilled. This ending transforms the ring from a symbol of grief and possession into one of closure and letting go.

Character and Theme Connections

The ring is intimately tied to Andrew's journey. It begins as a relic of his love for Eddie, a way to hold onto the past. But as the story progresses, it becomes a source of danger and a reminder of the curse he has inherited. Andrew's decision to wear it in chapter 26 is an act of desperation—he wants to feel Eddie's presence, even at the cost of his own safety. This reflects the theme of grief as a forensic investigation, where Andrew's need to understand Eddie's death drives him to risky actions. The ring also connects to the theme of repressed queer desire: Andrew's relationship with Sam is complicated by his guilt over Eddie, and the ring, as a symbol of his bond with Eddie, stands in the way of his new intimacy.

The ring also highlights the theme of the revenant as a copy. Eddie's ghost is not the real Eddie but a distorted echo, hungry and jealous. The ring, which once belonged to the living Eddie, becomes a vessel for this copy, and Andrew's final act of transferring the ghost into the ring and discarding it is a way of separating the memory of Eddie from the monstrous remnant.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does the ring's meaning change from a keepsake to a supernatural conduit?

The ring initially serves as a memento of Eddie, a physical object that Andrew can hold to feel closer to his dead friend. In chapter 19, he rolls it in his palm, thinking of it as 'one more piece of Eddie.' However, when he wears it in chapter 26, it triggers a violent possession, revealing its true nature as a conduit for the curse. The ring amplifies the revenant's power, turning a simple act of remembrance into a life-threatening event. This shift reflects Andrew's growing understanding that Eddie's legacy is not just emotional but supernatural and dangerous.

1. What does the ring reveal about Jane Troth's motives?

Troth gives Andrew the ring in chapter 16, claiming she found it after a dinner party. This act appears kind, but it is actually part of her plan to use Andrew as a vessel for Eddie's power. In chapter 29, she uses the ring to confirm Andrew's connection to the curse, and it becomes a tool in her ritual to force possession. The ring thus exposes Troth's academic and occult exploitation: she is willing to manipulate Andrew and Eddie's memory to achieve her own goals.

1. How does the ring function as a symbol of the inherited curse?

The ring is a physical object that carries the curse's power. When Andrew wears it, it amplifies the revenant's control, and when Riley touches it, he is burned—showing that the curse is tied to blood and inheritance. The ring's ability to harm those without the Fulton bloodline underscores the theme of the curse as a hereditary burden. Its final disposal in the sinkhole, however, suggests that the curse can be partially broken, even if it remains in Andrew's blood.

1. What does Andrew's decision to throw the ring into the sinkhole signify?

Throwing the ring into the sinkhole is an act of release. It allows Eddie's ghost to be laid to rest, freeing Andrew from the haunting. The sinkhole is the entrance to the caverns where Eddie and Andrew's childhood trauma occurred, so the act also symbolizes a return to the source of their bond. By discarding the ring, Andrew chooses to let go of the past and move forward, even though the curse remains. This final act transforms the ring from a symbol of grief and possession into one of closure and acceptance.