The Cherry Tree Symbol in Things We Left Behind

Introduction

In Lucy Score’s Things We Left Behind, the cherry tree that grows between Sloane Walton’s Victorian home and Lucian Rollins’s nondescript childhood house functions as far more than a piece of landscaping. It is a living artifact of their shared history—a witness to their secret friendship, a conduit for Lucian’s escape from an abusive home, and later, a tool for his grand romantic gesture. The tree’s blossom-covered branches become a thread that weaves through their past and present, marking the evolution from guarded adolescence to vulnerable adulthood.

Literal Description and Recurrence

The cherry tree is a mature specimen with “thick, flaky bark” that stands in Sloane’s side yard, directly accessible from her second‑story window. It appears in three pivotal chapters: first during their high‑school years (chapter 5), then during a traumatic night when Lucian is seventeen (chapter 11), and finally in the aftermath of the library fire (chapter 38). In each instance, Lucian climbs the tree to reach Sloane’s window seat—a route he learns as a teenager and returns to as an adult. The tree’s physical endurance mirrors the persistence of their bond, even after years of estrangement.

Key Recurrences

• Chapter 5 (high school): After his father speeds away, Lucian kicks a rock into Sloane’s fence. She yells; he climbs the cherry tree into her bedroom. They work on trigonometry, and her mother invites him to dinner. The next morning, the Rollins lawn has been mowed—a quiet promise kept.
• Chapter 11 (23 years earlier): Lucian, bruised from a beating by his father, climbs the cherry tree to Sloane’s room. She tends his wound, they listen to Shania Twain, and he finds momentary peace in her pillow nest. Here the tree becomes an escape hatch from violence.
• Chapter 38 (present day): After the library fire nearly kills Sloane, Lucian finds her front door locked. He vaults over the railing, climbs the cherry tree, and enters her window—this time with torn clothing and a new resolve to never leave her again.
• Bonus Epilogue (ten years later): Lucian and Sloane exchange a framed cherry blossom from the tree, a tangible symbol of the life and family they built.

Evolution of Meaning

The cherry tree’s meaning shifts across the narrative, reflecting the characters’ growth.

Character Connections

The cherry tree is most closely tied to Lucian Rollins. For him, it is the only route to warmth and safety. As a teenager, he climbs it to escape a father who punishes him for reading a chess book. The tree literally lifts him out of a world of abuse. As an adult, he climbs it again when words fail—after the fire, he cannot knock; he must physically enter her space. The tree forces him to make himself vulnerable (his pants rip, his dignity is stripped) in a way that mirrors his emotional journey toward openness.

For Sloane Walton, the tree is both an invitation and an intrusion. In high school, it brings a mysterious boy into her sacred space. As an adult, she initially resists its symbolism, but the tree’s presence in her yard means she cannot fully escape Lucian. When he later uses it for a grand gesture, she recognizes it as a token of everything they have survived together.

The tree also echoes the Walton family values. Sloane’s parents, Simon and Karen, model acceptance and warmth; their home becomes a sanctuary for Lucian. The tree is the physical connector between the two households, and Simon’s final request to Lucian—to protect his daughters—lends the tree a protective, almost paternal meaning.

Theme Connections

• Grief and Healing: Lucian’s abuse and Sloane’s loss of her father are both confronted in scenes on or near the tree. The tree does not erase pain but provides a place to endure it together. In chapter 11, Sloane tends Lucian’s bruises; in chapter 38, he bathes her after the fire.
• Trust and Vulnerability: Climbing the tree requires trust. Lucian must believe Sloane will not turn him away; she must believe he will not hurt her. Their mutual vulnerability is what deepens their bond.
• Redemption: The tree becomes the site of Lucian’s redemption arc. He uses it first to escape his father’s abuse, then later to atone for his past mistakes. His willingness to ruin expensive clothes demonstrates a shift from material control to emotional honesty.
• Found Family: The Walton home stands in stark contrast to the Rollins house. The cherry tree literally bridges these worlds, and Lucian’s eventual integration into the Walton family—including becoming a grandfather in the bonus epilogue—is prefigured by his first climb into Sloane’s window.

Study Questions

1. How does the cherry tree function as a symbol of escape for Lucian?
   The tree provides physical escape from his father’s abuse. In Chapter 11, after being beaten for reading a chess book, Lucian climbs directly to Sloane’s room, the only safe space he knows. The tree also offers emotional escape: in Chapter 5, climbing it allows him to leave the oppressive silence of his own house and experience normalcy with Sloane’s family.

2. Why does Lucian choose to climb the tree again in Chapter 38, and what does this reveal about his character growth?
   He chooses the tree because Sloane refuses to open the front door and he will not accept her isolation. The climb is difficult—the bark is older, he tears his suit and loses his composure—but he persists. This shows he has moved from controlling his emotions (earlier he demanded she listen to reason) to embracing vulnerability and action, proving he will sacrifice pride for her well‑being.

3. In what ways does the tree connect to the theme of found family?
   The tree physically links the hostile Rollins home with the warm Walton household. The Waltons’ dinner invitation in Chapter 5 and their ongoing acceptance create a found‑family dynamic for Lucian. Years later, the cherry blossom gift in the bonus epilogue represents the family he built with Sloane—children, grandchildren, and traditions—all rooted in that early moment of connection.

4. How does the cherry tree’s role change from the high‑school flashbacks to the present‑day chapters?
   In high school, the tree is a secret, almost childlike route for friendship and escape. In the present, it becomes a symbol of adult commitment: Lucian uses it to reach Sloane after the fire (Chapter 38) and later for his proposal. The tree ages, but its function shifts from hiding to declaring, from escape to dedication. The bonus epilogue cements it as a legacy symbol of enduring love.

Conclusion

The cherry tree in Things We Left Behind is a multi‑layered symbol that grows with its characters. It stands as a witness to trauma, a bridge to sanctuary, and ultimately a foundation for a future that neither Lucian nor Sloane could have imagined in their youth. By climbing it again and again, Lucian demonstrates that the most meaningful connections require courage, exposure, and the willingness to risk a fall. The tree is not merely an object—it is the story of their survival.