43 pages • 1 hour read
Summer of Riley
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Symbols & Motifs
Riley’s Tennis Ball
Content Warning: This section includes discussions of animal euthanasia.
Riley’s tennis ball symbolizes William’s attachment to Riley. Not long after Riley is taken away by the animal control officers, William finds his tennis ball in the closet. The ball is one of the only tangible pieces of evidence that William has to remind him of his happy days with Riley. Even though the tennis ball is old, chewed, and still wet with spittle, William treasures it. It reminds him of how Riley would “even sleep sometimes with this ball in his mouth” (83). The tennis ball makes William feel the weight of his responsibility toward Riley. He worries about what will happen if he cannot successfully campaign to save Riley’s life.
At the end of the novel, after William has succeeded in his mission of saving Riley from being euthanized, he says a final goodbye to Riley at the airport. He gives Riley the tennis ball back, which indicates his willingness to move on from everything that has happened. He is finally able to be at peace knowing that Riley will continue to have a happy life, even if he has to move far away.
Tea Leaves
The tea leaves symbolize William’s hopes for Riley. Dorothy always buys loose-leaf tea because she likes to read the tea leaves to tell the future. She claims that she does not believe in predicting the future with tea leaves—it is only in good fun—but William suspects that she does believe in it, deep down. He, too, likes reading tea leaves, and he takes it more seriously than his mother does. The first time they read tea leaves together in the novel, William thinks that he sees “a bird, flying free” (74), which makes him hopeful about Riley’s future. His mother is more hesitant, advising him that reading tea leaves is mostly just “wishful thinking.” It is difficult for William to maintain his sense of hope while he waits to hear what will happen to Riley, but the tea leaves are a minor source of comfort. They speak to the potency of his belief and to his determination.
The book ends with William once again reading tea leaves. While the bird he saw the first time might have been somewhat ambiguous, his second reading is clearer. He immediately sees “a dog running, ears back, tongue lolling” (184). He is certain that the tea leaves are telling him that Riley is free and happy in his new life in Texas. Even though William will never see Riley again, the tea leaves provide him with closure and hope. He can feel safe in the knowledge that he did the right thing to help his dog live a long, happy life.
The Fishpond
Before the events of The Summer of Riley, William and his grandfather started building a fishpond in the yard. William could not finish the pond after his grandfather died. When the novel begins, the pond is just an empty hole and an eyesore. Dorothy has asked William several times if he would like to simply fill in the pond, but William has always refused. The fishpond represents William’s ongoing grief and his struggles with Navigating Change. Once Riley gets taken away, the rain turns the pond into a muddy mess; this symbolizes that William’s grief has worsened and he cannot see a way out of it.
At the end of the novel, William accepts that his grandfather is gone for good. He accepts that Riley is not coming back and that his parents will never get back together. These facts pain him, but he is able to start working through that pain, and he finally agrees to fill the pond. The pond represents William’s character growth and his increased maturity. Letting go of the past is never easy, but it is an essential part of growing up. Without letting go, there is no way to embrace change and create a better future.
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