True Colors: A Novel

Water’s Edge is an important symbol and motif in the book. The ranch has been in the Grey family for four generations, established by the sisters’ great-grandfather when he also founded Oyster Shores. Because of its history, the ranch is a symbol of family pride that evolves in parallel to the theme of The Bonds of Sisterhood and Family Loyalty. Initially, the ranch is all but synonymous with Henry’s insistence on the family’s reputation, and it underlines how Henry treats each of his daughters differently. He sees Vivi Ann as the daughter most capable of tending to the land because of her equestrian talent, whereas he dismisses Winona because she lacks that talent. For instance, when Winona suggests selling part of the ranch to keep the rest afloat, he responds with anger, whereas he immediately accepts Vivi Ann’s idea to save it, which involves drawing on its traditional functions. By the end of the novel, however, the ranch becomes a symbol of true love and loyalty; in Noah’s final journal entry, which closes the novel, he describes various relatives and community members congregating at Water’s Edge to celebrate Dallas’s release.