Symbolism at end of film

Hope.

I dunno. With neglect that tree will wither and die. Just like the spirit of Steve McQueen's character. Sad film.

I don't know, really. What I took away though, was all the broken dreams of the characters:

Slim - misses his wife, I think envies what Henry has with his new-found family, even though Henry himself doesn't really appreciate what he has. I think Slim will always be lonely, because he only wants his wife back, and refuses to give anyone else a chance.

Henry - His focus is being a big rock star. Even though he has a family to take care of and love him. And it's too bad he stayed in his hometown, so that Miss Kate would always have a hold on him, even in death. Made an interesting storyline though, as I can't recall very many other old films that deal with child abuse....

Georgette - wanting to have a family in that little shack; raise her little girl up with her husband and plant trees and flowers all around. Seems like such a simple, attainable dream, but turns out, with Henry, it's not ever going to happen....

Of course Henry is never going to be a rockstar. And apparently he's never going to be anything, and that really is debatable if it's his fault or if he's a casualty to his upbringing. Even as adults, it's hard to escape the pain of years of abuse in childhood. It's hard to be such a broken child and then try to be a functioning, responsible adult after all that...And Georgette waited all those years for Henry, only to have it sort of be a waste really. She was a good mother though, and I think Margaret Rose will grow up feeling loved anyway, but someday learning the truth about her dad will also be hard to deal with.

So, I don't know what the symbolism of the tree is - maybe lonliness. Because I felt sad & lonely for most of the characters at the end, even though Georgette tries to end things on a glimmer of hope & positivity.

"Are you going to your grave with unlived lives in your veins?" ~ The Good Girl