Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Raise your hand if you want to someday try a blackberry kiss! Yep, so do we. Sal's description of her mother popping some blackberries in her mouth and then kissing a tree is so vivid. And because of this one incident, blackberries remind Sal deeply of the way things used to be in Bybanks, when her mother was happy and the two of them would go blackberry picking together
In many ways, blackberries seem to represent living in the moment and enjoying all that life has to offer, which is what Sal and her mom used to do. They represent what it means to explore life with all five senses, which includes kissing trees. Even though nature can be cruel and unpredictable sometimes, it is also totally wonderful. Even though her mother is gone, Sal will always have blackberry kisses to remember her by.