In Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt, Dicey, 13, James, 10, Maybeth, 9, and Sammy, 6, are abandoned by their mother in the middle of Connecticut in a parking lot. They have to find their way to Aunt Cilla's house because she is their only relative that Dicey knows. With very little money and food, the Tillermans travel to Bridgeport to find that Aunt Cilla has died and their cousin Eunice is the only one there. They live with their cousin Eunice for a while, then go to their grandmother's house. A symbol in the story is the long road and symbolizes the difficulties of all four children, their desperation and their poverty. Another symbol is the sailboat, and it symbolizes the hope that children need and Dicey's desire to be accepted and welcomed by her grandmother. Eunice's dress for Maybeth is another symbol and symbolizes embarrassment and the desire to hide problems. A symbol in the story is the long road on which the children travel and symbolizes the difficulties of all four children, their desperation and their poverty. Furthermore, along the way, they had many difficulties, with no money, no idea where they were going and no hope. For example, when they were traveling, “No money, no food, no way to move forward [on the road]. The silence behind her told her that her brothers and sister were watching her. Maybe they could all stay there, not moving, and turn to stone. Then his troubles would be over. Dicey opened her eyes and studied the darkness of her knees. There was nothing else he could do. Nothing. That's all. The end” (p.94). This shows that a symbol in the story is the long road and symbolizes the difficulties of all four children, their desperation and their poverty because now... middle of paper... Dicey reminds me of the character in Willow Tree, Willow Tree . After her parents die in an accident, Willow begins cutting herself with a razor blade because it seems to be the only cure for her emotional pain. However, when she meets Guy, a sensitive and complicated boy like her, she begins to make decisions she would never have made or thought about. Both Willow and Dicey find hope in themselves. At first they struggled because of all the difficulties they were facing and they didn't know how to control them. Towards the end they find hope in themselves because they realize that you can face your difficulties with hope. Hope is something you can hold on to when you have nothing left to believe in; It keeps you going in life. It gives you a future. When Willow and Dicey had hope in themselves, it helped them move forward in life instead of giving up.