These Silent Woods

The presence of birds is a motif throughout the novel, specifically in connection to the characters. When Cooper flees to the cabin, the only books he brings are the Bible and The Book of North American Birds, which he reads with Finch throughout her childhood. As a result, as they are just a few days into their isolation, Cooper chooses new names for himself and Finch when he speaks to Scotland—and settles on the names of two birds. In particular, Finch is associated with birds throughout the novel. In addition to being named after a colorful bird known for its song, she is also called “little bird” by Scotland and uses “the call of a whip-poor-will” as a “means of communicating in the woods” (85). Finch’s numerous comparisons to birds throughout the novel reflect her situation: She has the ability and the desire to fly free from her life in the cabin and struggles with her restrictive life. This comparison also conveys the theme of The Desire for Connection in the Midst of Isolation, as the isolated cabin restricts and cages her desire to socialize.

When Marie comes to the cabin, the first night she reads from The Book of North American Birds.