The land features prominently in Wish You Well. The mountains of Virginia, known as “high rock,” prove to be more than a piece of real estate. The value of the region can be assessed in several different ways. To the timber operators, the mountains contain a plentiful source of lumber until the hillsides are completely logged out. To the coal companies, the area is a rich source of ore, until the mines are played out. To the gas company, the underground natural gas reserves could line the pockets of company executives for years to come. The farmers scraping out a living on this land aren’t immune to the promises of quick cash from the companies that promise prosperity but leave after plundering the natural resources of the region.

In contrast to the monetary value that can be assigned to the various resources of high rock, the Cardinal family sees the land as a living thing that can sustain them from year to year without the infusion of cash from big-city outsiders. Although Jack leaves the mountains as a young adult, his nostalgia and fondness for the area permeate his writing. His wife, Amanda, tries to persuade him to return there right before the car accident that ends his life.