Wish You Well

Early in the book, Diamond recounts the tale of the magic wishing well to an enthralled Oz and Lou. The well appears at various points in the book and always as a symbol of the power of belief. Oz has no trouble believing that the well will grant Amanda her health if he only wishes hard enough and gives up the object most dear to him. Of course, Oz is aware of Lou’s disapproval of his fanciful nonsense, so he sneaks out late at night to perform his ritual and sacrifice his favorite teddy bear.

Despite Lou’s mockery, midway through the book she is feeling desperate enough to give the well a try. This represents a turning point in her rigid habit of facing facts as opposed to believing in possibilities. Her own sacrifice is somewhat ambivalent since the object she chooses may not, arguably, be her most precious possession. It’s a photo of herself and Amanda. Though still ambivalent, Lou’s heart has softened enough so that she retrieves Oz’s teddy bear and puts the photo in its place.

The real turning point in Lou’s journey toward faith takes place when she sacrifices the packet of letters that her mother wrote to Louisa.