What Lies in the Woods

The woods outside the town of Chester are an important motif in the novel; they are the site where the most important plot events take place, and characters are haunted by images of wild nature. As a motif, the woods develop themes of the human capacity for violence and threats to social cohesion. Areas of wilderness that have not been subject to human development or control often serve to expose the limits of social control on human instincts. While, on the surface, Chester seems like a mundane town that would be a pleasant place to grow up, the secrets lurking in the woods reveal that there are threats just under the surface. As young girls, Naomi, Cass, and Liv enjoyed playing in the woods because they felt freer there; however, that freedom can also be threatening because there are few constraints and consequences. The woods are a space where someone can literally get away with murder, and characters are emboldened to act in much more aggressive ways.

In addition to being a place where violent and shocking events can take place, the woods also create natural opportunities to hide and cover up these events. The motif of the woods therefore also serves to develop the important theme of the Destructive Consequences of Secrets and Lies. Evidence of violent events, such as Jessi’s body, can be concealed in the woods much more easily than in more developed areas; events that happen in the woods are difficult to understand or describe accurately. Dense trees, lack of lighting, and rough terrain create an aura of mystery, where secrets can remain for decades. Despite these ominous aspects, characters are drawn to return to the woods because they also long for the authenticity that can exist in spaces that are less subject to social norms.