Strawberry Girl

Strawberry crops are a symbol of resilience, dedication, and hard work in Strawberry Girl. Strawberries are difficult to grow and sustain because they are so sensitive. When Florida’s temperature drops, the strawberries can easily freeze. When Florida’s temperature gets scorching hot, the strawberries dry up. Along with climate, another challenge in growing strawberries is the many animals and birds who love to eat them. A strawberry crop requires constant care and attention. Birdie takes on the responsibility of her family’s strawberry crop because she genuinely cares about the strawberries as an extension of her family. She learns the value of hard work and the difficult lessons about the unpredictability of life by caring for the crop. When the crop fails, “Birdie was sick at heart. They had worked so hard over the berries. It seemed cruel to lose them just as they were ripening” (113). Birdie’s emotional attachment to the strawberries is symbolic of her contribution to her family’s well-being. But the strawberries also teach Birdie how to be entrepreneurial and clever with her farming. By never giving up on the strawberries despite the heartache and hard work, Birdie develops resilience and dedication. She is so dedicated to the strawberries that she earns the nickname Strawberry Girl.