The Last Carolina Girl

Stitched together by her mother, Leah’s quilt symbolizes her nuanced understanding of home and family. Leah cherishes the quilt as a rare family heirloom, one of her few physical reminders of her parents. Though Leah never knew Emma, aside from Harley’s few shared stories, she feels connected to her by analyzing her mother’s artistic abilities, which is evident in the quilt’s beautiful design. Leah also enjoys creative, artistic endeavors. Like her hair and eye color, Leah cherishes the traits she inherited from her mother, celebrating their genetic bond while wishing she could know her mother in different ways.

Leah’s quilt additionally symbolizes the critical aspects that create a family bond. She seeks her quilt for comfort after experiencing an epileptic seizure: “My head dropped, my shoulders slumped, and my tired body longed to be under the quilt again” (10). When she moves into the Griffins’ home, the quilt is one of her few possessions, which she shelters under whenever she feels especially stressed or lonely. Leah wants a family that will shroud her in love, warmth, acceptance, and protection. The quilt serves as a tangible symbol of these desires, representing Leah’s longing for emotional security and belonging.