The significance of this motif alters as the narrative progresses. At first, it symbolizes encouragement, with Adam regularly singing the song to lift his spirits. Adam doesn’t take “medicine” before the journey and the song has a therapeutic role. Caught in a rainstorm, Adam contemplates abandoning his journey. He chooses to continue, declaring, “I lift my face and the rain pours down. And I begin to sing” (66). Adam ties persistence to the song. He bikes through the rain as he sings the first verses to “The Farmer in the Dell.” The song supports his persistence. It’s a symbol of encouragement. When he sings, he gives himself hope. In Arnold’s station wagon, feeling achy and carsick, Adam turns to the song for strength, stating, “I begin to sing to myself, silently so that the man and woman won’t hear me” (116). Once again, the song generates encouragement. As Adam sings it “silently,” the symbol isn’t for public consumption—it’s a private boost for his ears only.

Separate from the bike journey, the song encourages Adam’s parents. When Dave sings it, he pulls Louise out of her gloom. Louise calls Dave a “nut,” but “[t]here was laughter and tenderness in her voice” (25).