Blog #1
The Themes of Serpent on a Tree 

(Spoilers for Serpent on a Tree!)

Serpent on a Tree is an allegorical story about temptation, control and redemption. It has a very heavy-handed title and it isn’t really worried about subtlety, but that doesn’t mean that everyone was able to understand everything I did.

That was always something I expected.

However, there were some who didn’t understand anything I did.

I’m writing this as a rough outline of the themes of the story, but also as a visual guide that anyone can read so that they may comprehend precisely how many intentional details I include in a story.

I don’t do things randomly, or at least, there is a certain level of intent to a lot of what I do. My hope is that by laying everything out, you may notice some of these details in other stories I write down the road.

Characters

Collin

Collin is the protagonist of the series. He’s small and unremarkable, something that he is insecure about, but this smallness does not dictate how important he is. While he has his own set of character flaws that are explored elsewhere, in SOAT, he is used as a voice of reason, someone who is able to notice what others do not.

Throughout the story, Collin is put in a very difficult position, one that necessitates action. He can see what Sylvia is doing, and while he doesn’t fully understand what is going on, he has a vague idea of why it is wrong.

He plays the part of someone who is reluctant to play the role he is given, but not unwilling. He doesn’t know why it needs to be him, because he’s not certain he’s the correct choice.

What he doesn’t understand is that even the smallest dog has the blood of a wolf coursing through his veins.

Sylvia

Sylvia is actually very complicated. The title of the story suggests that she’s the one responsible for everything and, while that’s partially true, the title is also pretty misleading.

The story presents her “power” as the ability to hypnotize others, to force them to do what she wants.

That’s not exactly how it works, and the power isn’t really hers.

Admittedly, this was a choice I made knowing that it might impact the readability of the allegory. I ultimately decided that the story could use it to tie the concept of temptation to something visual that younger (or youthfully-minded) readers may understand.

Sylvia’s power doesn’t force anyone to do anything. It plants an idea; the idea that she can be your friend. The idea that, if you do as she says, you won’t really be sacrificing anything and that you’d be better off with her.

Bella and Luke are simple. Neither immediately knows what she is doing at first, but the second that she offers friendship, they both instantly fold. The story doesn’t dwell on why. Bella might’ve wanted social status. Luke might’ve wanted something only she could offer.

Lucky also becomes a target, a willing one. He lets himself be captured so that Collin may escape, but that isn’t enough to stop Sylvia. It’s a genuine sacrifice, but it doesn’t really work because the circumstances weren’t the right ones.

This is the first instance of the text colors being inverted. Someone other than Sylvia says the words: “Bad idea. Very bad idea,” in a mocking tone.  Giving up one’s soul in place of another’s is not something that just anyone can do.

Penny

Finally, Penny is her last target. She’s wiser than the others. Not smarter, wiser.

Penny reads a lot. It is a seemingly random character trait, and it is one that I repurposed. She doesn’t say it out loud, but Penny has read a lot of stories growing up, ones more relevant to the events of the book than others. She implies it when she alludes to the books she reads and how “you should never trust a snake.”

She knows.

She knows, but that doesn’t make her perfect. When Sylvia targets her, she considers her words like anyone else, but she ultimately chooses against it.

In the story, it can be read as a joke. Sylvia offers a carrot, something she isn’t supposed to eat, and she ultimately rejects it because of her allergy, but it runs deeper than that.

Penny rejects the carrot because it’s incompatible with who she wants to be.

The “Serpent”

Readers should know who this is. The real serpent, the one who was responsible for everything.

When Sylvia breaks the necklace, it reveals who had really been in control and the story begins to click.

Snakes are not inherently evil. They are creatures, animals, just like any other, and while I personally believe that superstitions exist for a reason, I also believe there is more to it than that.

The story never explains exactly how Sylvia got the necklace. It’s described as “a simple enchantment” revealing that it is supernatural, but details are vague.

It could’ve been a generational curse; a bad decision that someone before Sylvia made. Perhaps Sylvia’s soul had been sold before she was even born. Or maybe she enchanted it herself without fully understanding the risk she was taking.

The necklace shattering represents a choice being made; a choice to break the chains that bound her.

The reason why Collin’s sacrifice worked and Lucky’s didn’t is because of the intent and the circumstances.

Sylvia witnesses a selfless act of love and her composure breaks, but it isn’t enough to break the chain, it’s only enough for her to realize that there is a chain in the first place. A line was crossed.

She realizes that she hadn’t intended to kill anyone. The bite wasn’t her. She’s the one who is being controlled, the one who is possessed, and while the story never tells the reader this, it is strongly inferred. 

But the thing that really frees her is the apology; the regret. It is only after an earnest change of heart that she is allowed to heal. If it hadn’t been for that, she may never have changed.

When the evil spirit is finally exposed, its words are menacing, but also a little childish. It throws a tantrum and it barely even acknowledges the characters in front of it. It’s talking to someone, expressing that it “had a right to be there,” implying some sort of legal process; like somehow its possession had been “allowed” and that it had the fine print. 

But some things are more important than the fine print.

There are also smaller details, ones that don't necessarily move the plot forward. If that were the end of the story, these details would be a bad inclusion. When you're telling a story, you should generally avoid including things that don't matter.

So why would I break this rule? Why would I add things for no reason?

I am going to name two examples, so that you may understand the sort of details I like to hide in a lot of my stories.

When Collin and Penny greet each other at the beginning of the story, he casually mentions that Penny was new at his school for "like a week." This detail is never brought up again, and it doesn't move the plot forward in any way. So why is it there? Why does it matter that Penny recently moved in?

There is one other detail before that one too. On the very first page of the book, there is a billboard on top of a building as Collin and his sister drive past it. It isn't anything that you guys don't already know. Tulip is a retired actress who has had bad experiences with the film industry. The billboard shows her announcing that retirement.

Why would I add that? Why would I draw attention to something you guys already know? I would've had to draw that intentionally. If someone important were to quit all of a sudden, it would sure create a void. 

That is all I have to say for now! Thank you so much for reading this little blog. I know it's long, but I hope you at least now know a bit more about how I write my stories, because I'm certain it'll show you a better way to read them. ^_^