Chapter 50:
Grandpa left instructions for a letter to be read when he died and before his body was cold. The letter is read, and everyone is shocked, but they do as he wished. He wants to be buried immediately in the box Granny's coffin came in, and he wants Loomis and Will to speak. Instead of a bunch of hypocrites, he wants a quick funeral and a party to celebrate his life. He knows this will shock everyone, so he says that anyone who does not comply with his wishes is out of his will!
At the funeral, Will talks about Grandpa's idea on the verse that he had overheard.
They did have the party and Grandpa's will is read.
Grandpa pretty much satisfies everyone in his will: He leaves Miss Love $1000 and the house, the rest of the estate between his two daughters and Miss love, and if he should have another child, the baby would get a share, too. The family jointly owns the store and Hoyt is named as manager for as long as he wishes to run it. Will gets $400 for college, but only if he works 10 years in the store after college (which he will refuse to do). He also leaves $1 to the Baptists for "their kindness" in helping to bury Camp, which is a real slap in the face. And he gives money to the Methodists for their kindness to Miss Love, so they will take her back. Finally, he gives Loomis $50 for loyal service.
Miss Love decides to stay in Cold Sassy to raise her baby (she is sure it will be a boy), and Will ends by telling the reader that soon after Grandpa town, the town cut down the Cold Sassy tree and changed its name to Progressive City and how he has saved a box with: a piece of the root of the sassafras tree, his journal, a can of tobacco tags, the newspaper story by Toddy Hughes, the photo of him, Grandpa, Miss Love and the Pierce, his Ag diploma, and the buckeye that Lightfoot gave him.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Chapters 48-49: In Which Grandpa Gets Better, Ten Gets Worse and Dies
Chapters 48-49:
When will goes to the house to help, he overhears Grandpa and Miss love talking intimately. They are clearly a loving couple now. He hears Grandpa tell Miss Love that he has been thinking about Will's question: What did Jesus me by "Ask and thou shalt receive"? Grandpa thinks it mean:
"When Jesus said, ast and you'll git it, He was givin' a gar'ntee a-spiritual healin, not body healin'. HE was sayin' that if'n you get beat down--scairt to death you caint do what you got to, or scairt you gonna die, or scairt folks won't like you--why all you got to do is put yore hand in God's and He'll lift you up . . . Jesus meant us to ast God to hep us stand the pain, not beg Him to take the pain away. We can ast for comfort and hope and patience and courage, and to be gracious when thangs ain't goin' our way, and we'll git what we ast for. There ani't no gar'ntee that we ain't go'n have no troubles and ain't gone die. But shore as frogs croak and cows bellow, God'll forgive us if'n we ast him to."
Will put it all in his journal.
At first, Grandpas physical injuries were too not severe, but his pride was hurt because he got tricked. But then, in Chapter 49, he develops pneumonia and gets delirious with fever, calls Miss Love by Mattie Lou's name, and she is heartbroken. She tells Will that she is going to have a baby but has not told Grandpa because she was saving the news for Grandpa's birthday and is afraid he will die before he can learn about it. But then his fever breaks, and he recognizes everyone, and Will overhears Miss Love tell him that she is pregnant. The next morning, Miss Love screams because Grandpa is dead.
When will goes to the house to help, he overhears Grandpa and Miss love talking intimately. They are clearly a loving couple now. He hears Grandpa tell Miss Love that he has been thinking about Will's question: What did Jesus me by "Ask and thou shalt receive"? Grandpa thinks it mean:
"When Jesus said, ast and you'll git it, He was givin' a gar'ntee a-spiritual healin, not body healin'. HE was sayin' that if'n you get beat down--scairt to death you caint do what you got to, or scairt you gonna die, or scairt folks won't like you--why all you got to do is put yore hand in God's and He'll lift you up . . . Jesus meant us to ast God to hep us stand the pain, not beg Him to take the pain away. We can ast for comfort and hope and patience and courage, and to be gracious when thangs ain't goin' our way, and we'll git what we ast for. There ani't no gar'ntee that we ain't go'n have no troubles and ain't gone die. But shore as frogs croak and cows bellow, God'll forgive us if'n we ast him to."
Will put it all in his journal.
At first, Grandpas physical injuries were too not severe, but his pride was hurt because he got tricked. But then, in Chapter 49, he develops pneumonia and gets delirious with fever, calls Miss Love by Mattie Lou's name, and she is heartbroken. She tells Will that she is going to have a baby but has not told Grandpa because she was saving the news for Grandpa's birthday and is afraid he will die before he can learn about it. But then his fever breaks, and he recognizes everyone, and Will overhears Miss Love tell him that she is pregnant. The next morning, Miss Love screams because Grandpa is dead.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Chapters 46-47: In Which Lightfoot Gets Married and Grandpa Gets Bested
Chapters 46-47:
Will turns fifteen, and on his way to the store one day, he runs into Lightfoot. She tells him that she does not want him to feel bad about the kissing because she knew Will just wanted to comfort her. She gives him a buckeye and tells him that she is marrying Hosie, because Grandpa has given Hosie a chance at a new life. Will says it almost killed him for Lightfoot to marry Hosie.
In the next chapter, a couple of thieves try to rob the store, but Grandpa gets them at gunpoint. They trick him into firing the gun which they know has only one shot. Then they jump him and crash a chair over his head.
Will turns fifteen, and on his way to the store one day, he runs into Lightfoot. She tells him that she does not want him to feel bad about the kissing because she knew Will just wanted to comfort her. She gives him a buckeye and tells him that she is marrying Hosie, because Grandpa has given Hosie a chance at a new life. Will says it almost killed him for Lightfoot to marry Hosie.
In the next chapter, a couple of thieves try to rob the store, but Grandpa gets them at gunpoint. They trick him into firing the gun which they know has only one shot. Then they jump him and crash a chair over his head.
Chapters 44-45: In Which Camp Comes to an End and Hosie and Loma Get New Starts
Loma returns home to the news that camp has committed suicide and moves in with Will's family. Even though the town churches taught that people who committed suicide went to Hell and forbade burials for suicides, Grandpa is determined that Camp with get a proper funeral and burial. He compels (sort of pressures) the town to pay respects, and every ends up feeling guilty and wishing they had treated Camp better. Grandpa always gets his way.
After Loma moves in with the Tweedy's (because young, respectable, single women could not work or live alone), Will describes how the relationship between Miss Love and Grandpa advanced and grew. She puts in plumbing and Grandpa gets her a gramophone for her birthday, and Will finds them dancing. At the store, Hosie Roach impresses Grandpa and gets Camp's job, and Aunt Loma starts training under Miss Love as an apprentice milliner.
After Loma moves in with the Tweedy's (because young, respectable, single women could not work or live alone), Will describes how the relationship between Miss Love and Grandpa advanced and grew. She puts in plumbing and Grandpa gets her a gramophone for her birthday, and Will finds them dancing. At the store, Hosie Roach impresses Grandpa and gets Camp's job, and Aunt Loma starts training under Miss Love as an apprentice milliner.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Chapters 42-43: In Which Grandpa Gets a Hotel, and Camp Commits Suicide
Mr. Clem Crummy is opening a hotel, and he needs a name for it. Obviously, he can't use his own last name (Think about it: The Crummy Hotel. Not the best way to attract customers.), so he holds a drawing. And when he pulls out the name, the hotel is still named after somebody. And that somebody is Rucker Blakeslee, Will's Grandpa! So Cold Sassy now has the "Rucker Blakeslee Hotel," which really ticks off Mr. Crummy, not wanting Grandpa to get the credit for the hotel.
The next evening, Grandpa gets sick with a "lung disease he once saw in the Army". After a week or two, he seems to have "made a recovery." Life keeps moving.
Next up is Aunt Loma's Christmas play, and one of the greatest practical jokes Cold Sassy has ever seen. For the play, Aunt Loma asks Will to catch a mouse, which will create "havoc," dropping out of a box at a Christmas party on stage. Will does so, and then he and his friends have an idea. Over the next two weeks before the play, they catch nineteen live rats and put them in a cage. Then, when the mouse falls out of the box in the play, they open the cage, and let the rats loose. Mayhem ensues.
Will gets a beating and has to apologize to Aunt Loma. He does so, and Loma screams at him to get out. He goes home, glad to be back on familiar ground with Loma.
Aunt Loma goes away to Athens for a while to spend some time with her roommate. She asks Uncle Camp to fix the sink while she is gone. While she is gone Uncle Camp commits suicide. Will notices that the faucet is still leaking and fixes it, feeling sorry for Uncle Camp.
The next evening, Grandpa gets sick with a "lung disease he once saw in the Army". After a week or two, he seems to have "made a recovery." Life keeps moving.
Next up is Aunt Loma's Christmas play, and one of the greatest practical jokes Cold Sassy has ever seen. For the play, Aunt Loma asks Will to catch a mouse, which will create "havoc," dropping out of a box at a Christmas party on stage. Will does so, and then he and his friends have an idea. Over the next two weeks before the play, they catch nineteen live rats and put them in a cage. Then, when the mouse falls out of the box in the play, they open the cage, and let the rats loose. Mayhem ensues.
Will gets a beating and has to apologize to Aunt Loma. He does so, and Loma screams at him to get out. He goes home, glad to be back on familiar ground with Loma.
Aunt Loma goes away to Athens for a while to spend some time with her roommate. She asks Uncle Camp to fix the sink while she is gone. While she is gone Uncle Camp commits suicide. Will notices that the faucet is still leaking and fixes it, feeling sorry for Uncle Camp.
Chapter 41: In Which Will Learns the Secrets of Grandpa and Miss Love
Chapter 41: They have to stay with an old lady in a small town nearby because the mechanic can't fix the car until the next day. The sleeping situation has Will and Grandpa in one bed and Miss Love on a cot in the next room, so it will look like the married couple was together and Will was alone. Granpa goes to Miss Love after he thinkg Will is asleep, and Will overhears Grandpa and Miss Love confessing their secrets to each other.
Grandpa admits that he has been loving Miss Love since he saw her. He also explains that he and Miss Mattie Lou had been like friends or siblings since they found out having more children might kill Granny. Though Grandpa dearly loved his wife, he had "stayed off from her" for so long that the passion had gone out of their marriage. Grandpa explains how guilty and shameful he felt for so long and how God "set [him] free" of Miss Love when Granny was dying, but how after she dies, he had been determined to marry Miss Love and that he had "stolen" Mary Willis's trip to New York in order to spend time with Miss Love alone.
Miss Love says she never guessed his feelings and that she could never have a "real" marriage: she only agreed to marry Grandpa because she thought she would be merely his housekeeper. She finally tells Grandpa the awful secret that caused Mr. McAllister to initially reject her after she told him: Miss Love's was a violent drunk who, one night, when she was young, had insisted that Miss Love was not really his child and had raped Miss Love.
Grandpa is horrified by the story but still wants to be with Miss Love; he tells her, "[hit] don't make no difference" to him. But she thinks it will and sends Grandpa back to bed with Will.
The next day, on the way home, Grandpa rides up front with Will.
Grandpa admits that he has been loving Miss Love since he saw her. He also explains that he and Miss Mattie Lou had been like friends or siblings since they found out having more children might kill Granny. Though Grandpa dearly loved his wife, he had "stayed off from her" for so long that the passion had gone out of their marriage. Grandpa explains how guilty and shameful he felt for so long and how God "set [him] free" of Miss Love when Granny was dying, but how after she dies, he had been determined to marry Miss Love and that he had "stolen" Mary Willis's trip to New York in order to spend time with Miss Love alone.
Miss Love says she never guessed his feelings and that she could never have a "real" marriage: she only agreed to marry Grandpa because she thought she would be merely his housekeeper. She finally tells Grandpa the awful secret that caused Mr. McAllister to initially reject her after she told him: Miss Love's was a violent drunk who, one night, when she was young, had insisted that Miss Love was not really his child and had raped Miss Love.
Grandpa is horrified by the story but still wants to be with Miss Love; he tells her, "[hit] don't make no difference" to him. But she thinks it will and sends Grandpa back to bed with Will.
The next day, on the way home, Grandpa rides up front with Will.
Chapter 40: In Which Will Plays Chauffeur and Gets an Eyeful
The cars are a big hit, with everyone stopping and admiring/messing with cars out front, and attracting many more customers. Grandpa loves to advertise them and talks about them all the time. Miss Love also plays a part in attracting customers by becoming a window mannequin. Unfortunately, they have to put the cars in back because people are messing with them too much.
They finally sell a car and Will takes Miss Love and Grandpa to the county fair where Grandpa won the big prize for shooting and Will notes in his journal that Grandpa sat in the back with Miss Love on their trip home. They then plan a picnic, and Will drives them. When they try to avoid a crashed car, they drive off the road, putting a hole in their radiator, but do not realize it until they are alone and stranded. Miss Love has an idea to plug the hole with grits, and they send Will to buy some grits from a local. When he comes back, he is shocked to see Grandpa kissing Miss Love and feels for the first time as though Granny has been betrayed.
They finally sell a car and Will takes Miss Love and Grandpa to the county fair where Grandpa won the big prize for shooting and Will notes in his journal that Grandpa sat in the back with Miss Love on their trip home. They then plan a picnic, and Will drives them. When they try to avoid a crashed car, they drive off the road, putting a hole in their radiator, but do not realize it until they are alone and stranded. Miss Love has an idea to plug the hole with grits, and they send Will to buy some grits from a local. When he comes back, he is shocked to see Grandpa kissing Miss Love and feels for the first time as though Granny has been betrayed.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Chapters 38-39: In Which Lightfoot Leaves School, The Pierce Arrives, and Grandpa and Miss Love Give Up On Driving
Will notes that Miss Love seems to be able to control Grandpa easily. Will goes to school and sees that Lightfoot isn't there. He asks Hosie, who says that she is working in the mill. The conversation turns sour after a while, and they get into a fight. They are then sent to Mr. Whisnant's to chop wood. They do so, but they chop it four inches too long for his stove.
Grandpa, Miss Love, and Will find out that Grandpa's Pierce is arriving on Saturday. They advertise the event, make final arrangements, and Miss Love makes a suit for Grandpa. It'll be a surprise for everyone, including Will's dad, which Will realizes means that he can't be told to not drive the Pierce!
The surprise is a huge hit, being compared to a visit from the Georgian governor. Grandpa announces that the store will be selling cars, and Will drives Grandpa to the store in the Pierce. Love, however, stays home. It becomes clear that neither Grandpa nor Miss Love can drive a car after Grandpa loses the location of the brake and drives into a ditch and Miss Love gets a bee down her dress and crashes into a curb, so they decide that Will will have to drive them whenever they wish to go motoring.
Grandpa, Miss Love, and Will find out that Grandpa's Pierce is arriving on Saturday. They advertise the event, make final arrangements, and Miss Love makes a suit for Grandpa. It'll be a surprise for everyone, including Will's dad, which Will realizes means that he can't be told to not drive the Pierce!
The surprise is a huge hit, being compared to a visit from the Georgian governor. Grandpa announces that the store will be selling cars, and Will drives Grandpa to the store in the Pierce. Love, however, stays home. It becomes clear that neither Grandpa nor Miss Love can drive a car after Grandpa loses the location of the brake and drives into a ditch and Miss Love gets a bee down her dress and crashes into a curb, so they decide that Will will have to drive them whenever they wish to go motoring.
Figurative Language Part 2
- Personification No. 2: "Blind Tillie Trestle called to me that day" (74).
- It's a bridge for trains to cross. It doesn't have a voice. It doesn't even have a mouth. He feels like he has to go to it, that he must go to it.
- Humor No. 1: "Giving him just long enough to get settled good, I let fly a rock and it hit that tin roof [of the outhouse] like a gunshot. Grandpa [Tweedy] burst out of there in a cloud of hornets, trying to swat and hold his pants up at the same time" (107).
- This is funny because a guy gets attacked by hornets when he is on the toilet.
- Idiom No. 1: "Not until the next morning . . . did I suspect [Grandpa] had a mean streak that put Loma's in the shade" (216).
- There are really two idioms in this: a) a person with a temper was said to have a "mean streak," and b) something "x" that was bigger or more excessive than something "y" was said to "put 'y' in the shade," because something in the shadows will not stand out as much.
- Extended Metaphor/ Humor: Will compares Miss Alice Ann to God. "Just then, God spoke out loud in the voice of Miss Alice Ann . . . He stood in a pink and white polky dot dress, pointing His plump forefinger at us . . . god was indignant as all get out . . ." [And when Will says], "It ain't like you see it, . . . We didn't mean to-," [God "retorted"], "I got eyes, ain't I?"
- Will has been raised to think that God its a powerful authority figure, who shames, judges, and punishes. Since Miss Alice Ann is an adult, a big woman, and yelling at them, it is a good comparison. It is also funny to imagine the voice of God emanating from and fat, angry, white woman.
- Idiom No. 2: Mary Willis thinks that Papa is "sweet on Miss Love."
- This is a traditional southern way of saying that one person has a romantic affection towards another person. Today, we might say that someone has a "crush on"/ "thing for" somebody else.
Chapters 36-37: In Which Grandpa And Miss Love Return, And Will Decides To Violate His Punishment.
Will gets a whipping and two months of no driving when Miss Alice Ann tattles. Everybody hears, but they unfairly blame Lightfoot because she is a mill girl. Will's family gives Grandpa and Miss Love a "Welcome Home" dinner at which everyone is civil, but Will's parents and Loma disapprove of how much fun Grandpa and Miss Love had, seeing shows and dancing. After Everyone gets their presents, Will sees his mama thinking Miss Love is trying to buy her way into the family and that papa may be sweet on Miss Love.
He hears about the plan to surprise the town: Grandpa has ordered a car (a Pierce), and bought the rights to the Cadillac and Pierce dealerships. Grandpa and Miss Love are planning an event for the car's arrival, and ask Will to drive the car to the store at the the event. even though Will is forbidden to drive for two months as punishment for getting caught with Lightfoot, he decides that getting to drive the car at the event is worth any punishment.
He hears about the plan to surprise the town: Grandpa has ordered a car (a Pierce), and bought the rights to the Cadillac and Pierce dealerships. Grandpa and Miss Love are planning an event for the car's arrival, and ask Will to drive the car to the store at the the event. even though Will is forbidden to drive for two months as punishment for getting caught with Lightfoot, he decides that getting to drive the car at the event is worth any punishment.
Chapters 34-35: In Which Hoyt's Car Works, Miss Love Wins The Ladies, And Will Gets His First Kiss
Hoyt avoids giving Miss Love and Grandpa a ride, and Grandpa and Miss Love head off to NY. Mary Toy, Will's sister, whose red hair has grown out, returns to Cold Sassy. Also, the car does a magnificent job of taking attention away from the Grandpa - Miss Love "scandal." Miss Love"'mends fences" with the ladies of Cold Cassy by sending every lady and girl in Cold Sassy a postcard telling each about a special garment she had picked out just for them.
Will encounters Lightfoot McClendon while driving the car on an errand. he decides to give her a ride and takes her to the cemetery to talk, where Lightfoot tells him that her dad died, and that she has to drop out of school and work in the mill full-time. Will tries to cheer her up by telling her a story about a fancy headstone a family bought for a son they disowned. Lightfoot breaks down at the fact that some families have so much money to waste, and her family hardly has enough to feed themselves. When Will attempts to comfort her, he ends up making out with her, until Miss Alice Ann catches them, and blames Lightfoot for "corrupting Will."
Will encounters Lightfoot McClendon while driving the car on an errand. he decides to give her a ride and takes her to the cemetery to talk, where Lightfoot tells him that her dad died, and that she has to drop out of school and work in the mill full-time. Will tries to cheer her up by telling her a story about a fancy headstone a family bought for a son they disowned. Lightfoot breaks down at the fact that some families have so much money to waste, and her family hardly has enough to feed themselves. When Will attempts to comfort her, he ends up making out with her, until Miss Alice Ann catches them, and blames Lightfoot for "corrupting Will."
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Chapters 32 and 33: In Which Mary Willis Loses Her Trip To New York, and Papa Stands Up to Grandpa By Playing Santy Claus
Mary Willis is talked into taking the trip to NY to get away from all the drama, but then Grandpa comes in and announces that he is taking Miss Love on the trip. Then Miss Love tries to give the trip back to her, but Mary Willis refuses. Grandpa starts inviting people to a sermon hosted by him and miss Love, and he has Loomis preach, just to tick people off. Wills papa finds a way t make things better by surprising the family with a car after church.
Chapters 30-31: In Which Will Catches Up With Miss Love and Aunt Loma
Chapters 30-31:
Will catches up with Miss Love, finding himself calling her a Yankee in his head when she points out the "real truth" about Queenie eating off of a pie pan, and drinking from a mason jar. Will calls it a custom, but Miss Love makes it clear that it's racism, though not using that word, and Will gets defensive. Will is eager to tell that he didn't tell about the McAllister incident, but learn that Miss Love told Grandpa herself, but Grandpa wanted her to stay. As they are getting friendly again, Will tells her that his mom definitely will not go on the buying trip to New York (for the store's inventory).
Will then goes to Aunt Loma, to apologize for the two "bust" stories, expecting her to be furious, but she thought they were hysterical. (She is mad about her stupid husband Uncle Camp, who she always browbeats, because painted the mantle, but doing so around a matchbox, and over a cockroach, a pencil, and a shirt button.) She tells him that he should be a writer, and gives hm a journal she made in college. Now, Will resents her telling him what to do, but he admits that the only reason he can remember this story so well is because he wrote it all down in Aunt Loma's book.
Will catches up with Miss Love, finding himself calling her a Yankee in his head when she points out the "real truth" about Queenie eating off of a pie pan, and drinking from a mason jar. Will calls it a custom, but Miss Love makes it clear that it's racism, though not using that word, and Will gets defensive. Will is eager to tell that he didn't tell about the McAllister incident, but learn that Miss Love told Grandpa herself, but Grandpa wanted her to stay. As they are getting friendly again, Will tells her that his mom definitely will not go on the buying trip to New York (for the store's inventory).
Will then goes to Aunt Loma, to apologize for the two "bust" stories, expecting her to be furious, but she thought they were hysterical. (She is mad about her stupid husband Uncle Camp, who she always browbeats, because painted the mantle, but doing so around a matchbox, and over a cockroach, a pencil, and a shirt button.) She tells him that he should be a writer, and gives hm a journal she made in college. Now, Will resents her telling him what to do, but he admits that the only reason he can remember this story so well is because he wrote it all down in Aunt Loma's book.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Chapters 28-29: In Which Miss Love Takes On Cold Sassy (and Ain't Loma)
Chapters 28 and 29:
Will realizes that the town criticizes Miss Love no matter what she does: They criticized her for wearing black for Miss Maddie Lou, but now they criticize her for wearing red. But instead of going home and crying, Miss Love fights back. She goes to the store, and tells everyone to keep calling her Miss Love, not Mrs. Blakeslee. she then shocks the whole community by announcing her entire arrangement with Grandpa. She then stands up to Loma when Loma pays "a christian call" to "ask" for the furniture she wants. She tells Loma that she doesn't want, "but over my dead body you'll get the piano!" Will says that with these two affronts, Miss Love has declared war on Cold Sassy.
Will realizes that the town criticizes Miss Love no matter what she does: They criticized her for wearing black for Miss Maddie Lou, but now they criticize her for wearing red. But instead of going home and crying, Miss Love fights back. She goes to the store, and tells everyone to keep calling her Miss Love, not Mrs. Blakeslee. she then shocks the whole community by announcing her entire arrangement with Grandpa. She then stands up to Loma when Loma pays "a christian call" to "ask" for the furniture she wants. She tells Loma that she doesn't want, "but over my dead body you'll get the piano!" Will says that with these two affronts, Miss Love has declared war on Cold Sassy.
Chapters 26 - 27: In Which The Boys Go Camping and Will Comes Home to Find That Cold Sassy Knows Grandpa's Business
Chapter 26-27:
Will has a disappointing camping trip and misses Blu Jackson because Blu would not have been careless to let a bear get their food or leave the shotgun shells out in the rain. The boys decide to get Miss Love's horse and go home early, and Will tells two stories on Loma to keep the other boys from gossiping about Miss Love. He makes up stories about Loma having to nurse a pig to keep her milk flowing when Campbell Junior was born and wearing a "rubber bust" at her wedding. Though the boys promise not to tell, they do. Will gets in trouble from his dad and Grandpa (who he thought was mad about him leaking the marriage situation) for "insulting Loma's womanhood." But Will is not really sorry.
Will is sorry that the whole town knows about Grandpa and Miss Love's arrangement because he does not want Miss Love to think he did not care or was a gossip. He hears how the Methodist ladies told Miss Love that she was not needed to play for church any longer and how Grandpa came up with the idea to have their own service at home. He also hears how Miss Love had "blessed out the whole town."
Will has a disappointing camping trip and misses Blu Jackson because Blu would not have been careless to let a bear get their food or leave the shotgun shells out in the rain. The boys decide to get Miss Love's horse and go home early, and Will tells two stories on Loma to keep the other boys from gossiping about Miss Love. He makes up stories about Loma having to nurse a pig to keep her milk flowing when Campbell Junior was born and wearing a "rubber bust" at her wedding. Though the boys promise not to tell, they do. Will gets in trouble from his dad and Grandpa (who he thought was mad about him leaking the marriage situation) for "insulting Loma's womanhood." But Will is not really sorry.
Will is sorry that the whole town knows about Grandpa and Miss Love's arrangement because he does not want Miss Love to think he did not care or was a gossip. He hears how the Methodist ladies told Miss Love that she was not needed to play for church any longer and how Grandpa came up with the idea to have their own service at home. He also hears how Miss Love had "blessed out the whole town."
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Figurative Language Evaluation - Part One
- Simile No. 1: "[Grandpa] acted like I didn't mean nothing more to him than a stick of stovewood" (2).
- A stick of stovewood is not something one usually gets attached to, so Will is saying that he meant nothing to Grandpa. Not only does he not care for Will, but he treats him as something to not trip over.
- Simile No. 2: "Miss Effie Belle had . . . a big pink wart that stuck out from the side of her upper lip like the feeler of a bee" (113).
- This is fairly straightforward. A bee's feeler sticks out rather prominently; Will is implying that Miss Belle's wart sticks out just as prominently.
- Personification No. 1: "Old Jack'd pure die from embarrass-ment" (151).
- This implies that Jack, the mule, a non-human creature, actually cares what he looks like with the saddle on.
- Metaphor No. 1: "Uncle Camp is sort of a mouse . . ." (182).
- A mouse is very timid and shy. Will is saying that Uncle camp is so timid that he must be a mouse as well.
- Metaphor No. 2: "Miss Love's bein' tarred and feathered for what ain't nobody's business but his and hers" (186).
- Tarring and feathering is a serious, painful, and humiliating punishment for doing something really bad. Will's dad is saying that Miss Love is being harassed and humiliated so much that they might as well be tarring and feathering her as if she had committed some horrible crime.
Chapter 24-25: In Which Miss Effie Belle Tells All and Will Gets Ready to Go Camping
Chapters 24-25:
Will's Mom bitterly agrees to let him go camping and get the horse for Miss Love. Before his leaves, Will tells Miss Love that he will stick up for her if Miss Effie Belle saw the kissing and tells. Miss Love refuses Will's help but admires his loyalty, which makes Will very proud.
Of course, Miss Effie Belle DID see and she DOES tell, so when Miss Love plays the piano for the Methodists the next morning, they all refuse to sing (except the Fournoy's, who like Miss Love) to shame and exclude her. but Miss Love shows her pride and determination by playing all eight verses of the hymn! This is all especially gossip-worthy for the town because they expected Grandpa and Miss Love to attend church together since they had married and everyone was waiting to see which denomination they would choose.
Will is sad to hear about this turn of events but has to ride with the rural mailman to his Grandpa Tweedy's to get the mules and wagon for his camping trip. On this ride, Will tells Mr. Lias that he does not plan to take over the store when he grows up but that he intends to go to the "Ag. College" and be a farmer. He sees his Grandpa Blakeslee through different eyes when Mr. Lias suggests the Grandpa overcharges some people but would favor his own family. He sees his Grandpa Tweedy through his friend Pink's eyes as being more poor and seedy than he had ever noticed before.
Will's Mom bitterly agrees to let him go camping and get the horse for Miss Love. Before his leaves, Will tells Miss Love that he will stick up for her if Miss Effie Belle saw the kissing and tells. Miss Love refuses Will's help but admires his loyalty, which makes Will very proud.
Of course, Miss Effie Belle DID see and she DOES tell, so when Miss Love plays the piano for the Methodists the next morning, they all refuse to sing (except the Fournoy's, who like Miss Love) to shame and exclude her. but Miss Love shows her pride and determination by playing all eight verses of the hymn! This is all especially gossip-worthy for the town because they expected Grandpa and Miss Love to attend church together since they had married and everyone was waiting to see which denomination they would choose.
Will is sad to hear about this turn of events but has to ride with the rural mailman to his Grandpa Tweedy's to get the mules and wagon for his camping trip. On this ride, Will tells Mr. Lias that he does not plan to take over the store when he grows up but that he intends to go to the "Ag. College" and be a farmer. He sees his Grandpa Blakeslee through different eyes when Mr. Lias suggests the Grandpa overcharges some people but would favor his own family. He sees his Grandpa Tweedy through his friend Pink's eyes as being more poor and seedy than he had ever noticed before.
Chapters 22 and 23: In Which Grandpa Meets Mr. McAllister and Miss Love Decides to Stay
Chapters 22 and 23:
Of course, word spreads fast about a handsome stranger with a silver saddle looking for Miss Love, so Grandpa shows up and greets Mr. McAlister, who eventually leaves the saddle and heads back to Texas. Miss Love immediately confesses to Grandpa that she was once engaged to Mr. McAllister and Grandpa offers to get his marriage annulled if Miss Love still wants to marry Mr. McAllister. (Miss Love does not mention the kissing, but Will is worried that Miss Effie Belle saw and will tell the whole town.)
Though crying hysterically, Miss Love finally decides to stay because she really does realize that Mr. McAllister is a philanderer and Grandpa says he will send Will to "Cud'n Jake's" to get her a horse for her saddle to "take her mind off Mr. Texas."
Of course, word spreads fast about a handsome stranger with a silver saddle looking for Miss Love, so Grandpa shows up and greets Mr. McAlister, who eventually leaves the saddle and heads back to Texas. Miss Love immediately confesses to Grandpa that she was once engaged to Mr. McAllister and Grandpa offers to get his marriage annulled if Miss Love still wants to marry Mr. McAllister. (Miss Love does not mention the kissing, but Will is worried that Miss Effie Belle saw and will tell the whole town.)
Though crying hysterically, Miss Love finally decides to stay because she really does realize that Mr. McAllister is a philanderer and Grandpa says he will send Will to "Cud'n Jake's" to get her a horse for her saddle to "take her mind off Mr. Texas."
Chapter 20-21: In Which Will Learns of Miss Love's Reasoning, and Miss Love Gets a Visitor
When last we heard from our narrator, he had asked Miss Love for the reasoning behind her marriage to Grandpa.
It turns out Miss Love has several reasons. One is to have a family. Not children, but more like sisters, those sisters being Mary Willis, Will's mom, and Loma. Will finds out that she understands how much trouble she's caused (or at least thinks she does), and wants to apologize, but can't find a way to approach Mary Willis or Loma. It turns out that Grandpa told her that it wouldn't be that big of a deal if they just kept their heads down and let it blow over. (Yeah right.) Then Miss Love describes the proposal to Will.
After the parade, she went back to the store, after hours, to finish a hat. Grandpa walked in and asked her to marry him, saying that she would be a housekeeper for him, and in return, he would deed her the house, furniture, and some money. (*triple gasp*) Will then asks her why she didn't marry Son Black, who seemed to be Miss Love's future husband. Love tells Will that he wasn't perfect, wasn't her "knight in shining armor," so to speak. That she was waiting for some rich, kind, powerful man to carry her away. She admits that Grandpa isn't exactly that person, but that he's someone that she can respect. Love is starting to tire, and goes to sit down a little, when Will sees a well-dressed cowboy-looking stranger with a fancy saddle turn towards the house.
Will tells Miss Love, who freaks out and tries to hide or to escape, but before she can, the man walks through the door without so much as knocking, and, wait for it, full on kisses Miss Love! Will, startled, quickly looks out the window to see if anyone is coming and, lo-and-behold, sees Miss Effie Belle, the neighbor, walking up the driveway with a cake, obviously wanting to see what the man wanted with Miss Love. Will tries to distract her, but thinks she saw the kissing. Around the time Miss Effie Belle leaves, Miss Love pulls away from the man. She is furious, and with much yelling, orders Mr. McAllister, the man, to leave the house. He doesn't, and tells Miss Love that he's here to "take her out of this hick town." At this point, Will tries to leave, but Miss Love forbids him, because he's the only defense from Mr. McCallister she has, as her only witness to whatever happens next. Mr. McCallister then basically asks Miss Love to marry him, and we discover that he was Miss Love's sweetheart before she came here. She refuses, obviously, and they argue until Miss Love reveals that she already has a husband, and that he's walking up the driveway.
It turns out Miss Love has several reasons. One is to have a family. Not children, but more like sisters, those sisters being Mary Willis, Will's mom, and Loma. Will finds out that she understands how much trouble she's caused (or at least thinks she does), and wants to apologize, but can't find a way to approach Mary Willis or Loma. It turns out that Grandpa told her that it wouldn't be that big of a deal if they just kept their heads down and let it blow over. (Yeah right.) Then Miss Love describes the proposal to Will.
After the parade, she went back to the store, after hours, to finish a hat. Grandpa walked in and asked her to marry him, saying that she would be a housekeeper for him, and in return, he would deed her the house, furniture, and some money. (*triple gasp*) Will then asks her why she didn't marry Son Black, who seemed to be Miss Love's future husband. Love tells Will that he wasn't perfect, wasn't her "knight in shining armor," so to speak. That she was waiting for some rich, kind, powerful man to carry her away. She admits that Grandpa isn't exactly that person, but that he's someone that she can respect. Love is starting to tire, and goes to sit down a little, when Will sees a well-dressed cowboy-looking stranger with a fancy saddle turn towards the house.
Will tells Miss Love, who freaks out and tries to hide or to escape, but before she can, the man walks through the door without so much as knocking, and, wait for it, full on kisses Miss Love! Will, startled, quickly looks out the window to see if anyone is coming and, lo-and-behold, sees Miss Effie Belle, the neighbor, walking up the driveway with a cake, obviously wanting to see what the man wanted with Miss Love. Will tries to distract her, but thinks she saw the kissing. Around the time Miss Effie Belle leaves, Miss Love pulls away from the man. She is furious, and with much yelling, orders Mr. McAllister, the man, to leave the house. He doesn't, and tells Miss Love that he's here to "take her out of this hick town." At this point, Will tries to leave, but Miss Love forbids him, because he's the only defense from Mr. McCallister she has, as her only witness to whatever happens next. Mr. McCallister then basically asks Miss Love to marry him, and we discover that he was Miss Love's sweetheart before she came here. She refuses, obviously, and they argue until Miss Love reveals that she already has a husband, and that he's walking up the driveway.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Chapters 18-19: In Which Will Gets to Know His New Granny, and Grampa Gets a Shave
Chapters 18-19:
Will starts the day with an interview for the Atlanta newspaper about him getting run over by the train, and Grandpa asking him to help Miss Love clean at the house. Mama can't refuse. (No one can say no to Grandpa.) Will hears Miss Love playing on the piano and singing dance hall songs. Will hears her sing "this house is my baby now." (important!)
Will helps Miss Love clean the house. Miss Love cleans and acts different from most women in Cold Sassy, and is, as mentioned, a suffragette, which is a factor in the town shunning her, disapproving of change that doesn't fit with their own beliefs. She is very friendly, and makes it clear to Will that she does not want to replace Granny, and that she holds Granny in the highest respects, which endears her to Will.
When Grandpa gets home for lunch, Miss Love convinces him to let her give him a haircut and shave his beard. Will helps Miss Love clean a bit more and sees that she is sleeping not in Grandpa's room, but the company room. Finally, as they are finishing up, Will blurts out the big question: "How come you married my Grandpa?"
Will starts the day with an interview for the Atlanta newspaper about him getting run over by the train, and Grandpa asking him to help Miss Love clean at the house. Mama can't refuse. (No one can say no to Grandpa.) Will hears Miss Love playing on the piano and singing dance hall songs. Will hears her sing "this house is my baby now." (important!)
Will helps Miss Love clean the house. Miss Love cleans and acts different from most women in Cold Sassy, and is, as mentioned, a suffragette, which is a factor in the town shunning her, disapproving of change that doesn't fit with their own beliefs. She is very friendly, and makes it clear to Will that she does not want to replace Granny, and that she holds Granny in the highest respects, which endears her to Will.
When Grandpa gets home for lunch, Miss Love convinces him to let her give him a haircut and shave his beard. Will helps Miss Love clean a bit more and sees that she is sleeping not in Grandpa's room, but the company room. Finally, as they are finishing up, Will blurts out the big question: "How come you married my Grandpa?"
Chapters 16-17: In Which Grandpa Talks to Will About Life, Death and God's Will, and Will Explains His Hatred for Aunt Loma
Chapters 16-17:
Will's conversation over pie gives Grandpa Blakeslee the chance to talk about his ides on religion. Most of the Baptists, the Methodists, and the Presbyterians all thought Will had been saved by God or "God's Will." Grandpa has a much more practical view. Even though Grandpa believes in God, he thinks most religious people are a bunch of hypocrites and that the idea that people don't have free will is pretty silly. He thinks Will lived because he thought to flatten himself out under the train. He asks Will if Will thinks God wanted him to be up on the trestle in the first place or if God favors a dog who catches a rabbit, or if the dog is just faster. He also disagrees with people saying that it was God's will for Will's best friend, Bluford Jackson, to get lockjaw from a firecracker burn and die. Grandpa says, "The Lord doesn't make firecrackers." Grandpa says God's not a bully, and mostly wants people to get well if they can, but people have to die sometime.
Also, Will asks Grandpa a question that becomes very important later. He asks what Jesus meant when He says in the Bible, "Ask and it shall be given," because Will has tried it, and it doesn't work. Grandpa promises Will that he will think about that and get back to him.
Grandpa then says a prayer in front of everyone thanking God and Miss Mattie Lou and the town, and everyone congratulates him and Miss Love.
Will then dreams about how Loma broke all his lead soldiers, lied about about it, and how he got punished for it, and how he had to start calling her "Ain't Loma" though she was only six years older than him. Will has three other people he hates:
1) Mr. Tuttle - He is a stingy tattletale and paints his tools no one can steal them. Will and his friends love to prank him.
2) Hosie Roach - He is a mill boy with "cooties" who is older than Will and always fights with him at school. Will says he's smart and wants to graduate, but always wants to fight and is never clean.
3) Grandpa Tweedy - Who always makes Will study for church but who put gunpowder in his firewood so that a little sharecropper boy's hand was almost blown off. Grandpa Tweedy felt he was right. He is all Old Testament religion - no forgiveness or generosity.
But Will says all his hate for them is nothing compared to his hate for Loma.
Will's conversation over pie gives Grandpa Blakeslee the chance to talk about his ides on religion. Most of the Baptists, the Methodists, and the Presbyterians all thought Will had been saved by God or "God's Will." Grandpa has a much more practical view. Even though Grandpa believes in God, he thinks most religious people are a bunch of hypocrites and that the idea that people don't have free will is pretty silly. He thinks Will lived because he thought to flatten himself out under the train. He asks Will if Will thinks God wanted him to be up on the trestle in the first place or if God favors a dog who catches a rabbit, or if the dog is just faster. He also disagrees with people saying that it was God's will for Will's best friend, Bluford Jackson, to get lockjaw from a firecracker burn and die. Grandpa says, "The Lord doesn't make firecrackers." Grandpa says God's not a bully, and mostly wants people to get well if they can, but people have to die sometime.
Also, Will asks Grandpa a question that becomes very important later. He asks what Jesus meant when He says in the Bible, "Ask and it shall be given," because Will has tried it, and it doesn't work. Grandpa promises Will that he will think about that and get back to him.
Grandpa then says a prayer in front of everyone thanking God and Miss Mattie Lou and the town, and everyone congratulates him and Miss Love.
Will then dreams about how Loma broke all his lead soldiers, lied about about it, and how he got punished for it, and how he had to start calling her "Ain't Loma" though she was only six years older than him. Will has three other people he hates:
1) Mr. Tuttle - He is a stingy tattletale and paints his tools no one can steal them. Will and his friends love to prank him.
2) Hosie Roach - He is a mill boy with "cooties" who is older than Will and always fights with him at school. Will says he's smart and wants to graduate, but always wants to fight and is never clean.
3) Grandpa Tweedy - Who always makes Will study for church but who put gunpowder in his firewood so that a little sharecropper boy's hand was almost blown off. Grandpa Tweedy felt he was right. He is all Old Testament religion - no forgiveness or generosity.
But Will says all his hate for them is nothing compared to his hate for Loma.
Chapters 14-15: In Which a Half-Deaf Will Arrives Home and the Whole Town Shows Up to Ooh and Aah
Chapters 14-15:
When the train arrives everyone wants to touch or talk to Will like he is a hero or a miracle, but Loomis parts the crowd and gets him home. Will expects his parent to be furious because e avoided his chores, violated his "mourning" rules, and snuck off, nearly getting himself killed. But instead, his parents are just relieved to have him home safely. And Mary Willis is so classy and grateful that she refuses to gossip with Loma about Grandpa's elopement. The whole town turns up with food to "visit" as if someone had died. They tell near-death and "hit-by-the-train" stories until Will feels queasy. At the end of Chapter 15, a newly-married Grandpa walks in and pretends to think that the gathering is a party for him and Miss Love.
When the train arrives everyone wants to touch or talk to Will like he is a hero or a miracle, but Loomis parts the crowd and gets him home. Will expects his parent to be furious because e avoided his chores, violated his "mourning" rules, and snuck off, nearly getting himself killed. But instead, his parents are just relieved to have him home safely. And Mary Willis is so classy and grateful that she refuses to gossip with Loma about Grandpa's elopement. The whole town turns up with food to "visit" as if someone had died. They tell near-death and "hit-by-the-train" stories until Will feels queasy. At the end of Chapter 15, a newly-married Grandpa walks in and pretends to think that the gathering is a party for him and Miss Love.
Chapters 12-13: In Which Our Narrator Gets Run Over By a Train
Chapters 12-13:
While up on the trestle, Will get caught by the train and avoids death by flattening himself between the tracks so that the train runs over him but does not injure him (except for burns from the cinders and temporarily deafened from the noise). After the train stops, the mill girl he likes, Lightfoot McClendon, and his cook Queenie's husband, Big Loomis, help him and T.R. (who came out after the train) to get off the trestle. The train has to hurry into Cold Sassy because the next train is coming and might crash into them. Will promises to help Lightfoot replace the blackberries she left, that were her poor family's dinner. He quickly starts worrying about what people will say about him meeting a mill girl when the train pulls into the Cold Sassy depot and Big Loomis helps Will off the train.
While up on the trestle, Will get caught by the train and avoids death by flattening himself between the tracks so that the train runs over him but does not injure him (except for burns from the cinders and temporarily deafened from the noise). After the train stops, the mill girl he likes, Lightfoot McClendon, and his cook Queenie's husband, Big Loomis, help him and T.R. (who came out after the train) to get off the trestle. The train has to hurry into Cold Sassy because the next train is coming and might crash into them. Will promises to help Lightfoot replace the blackberries she left, that were her poor family's dinner. He quickly starts worrying about what people will say about him meeting a mill girl when the train pulls into the Cold Sassy depot and Big Loomis helps Will off the train.
Chapters 10-11: In Which We experience the "Glorious Fourth" and Will Just Has to Escape From Mournin' for the Afternoon
Hallo! I'm going to start pairing chapters now, to save time. Onto Chapters Ten and Eleven!
In these chapters, Will tells the reader about the Fourth of July in Cold Sassy. People, black and white, line the streets, all waving flags. Not American, but Confederate. They have a huge parade, consisting of anti-Union, pro-Confederate displays, and the town's only two suffragettes, Miss Love, and Will's eccentric Aunt Carrie. In the end, there is an exhibition where the surviving veterans of the Civil War act out the Battle of Gettysburg. Sadly, Will's family is in mourning for Granny and cannot participate as planned.
Although this chapter doesn't seem too important, it really gives a better understanding of the community of Cold Sassy.
The next day, when Grandpa goes to Jefferson to marry Miss Love, Will decides to sneak off and go fishing at Blind Tillie Trestle with T.R. (his dog named after Theodore Roosevelt!). Will just wants to get away from his upset mama and papa and enjoy being a boy (instead of mourning). Will introduces the reader to Mill Town with its small, hot, cramped houses with the linty, disgruntled, exhausted mill workers on the porches. He worries about meeting his nemesis, Hosie Roach while walking through Mill Town where he refers to himself as "the town boy" passing by. He makes it, and once at the creek, he decides to walk across the train trestle, and tells us that it "occurred to" T.R. "to be scared."
In these chapters, Will tells the reader about the Fourth of July in Cold Sassy. People, black and white, line the streets, all waving flags. Not American, but Confederate. They have a huge parade, consisting of anti-Union, pro-Confederate displays, and the town's only two suffragettes, Miss Love, and Will's eccentric Aunt Carrie. In the end, there is an exhibition where the surviving veterans of the Civil War act out the Battle of Gettysburg. Sadly, Will's family is in mourning for Granny and cannot participate as planned.
Although this chapter doesn't seem too important, it really gives a better understanding of the community of Cold Sassy.
The next day, when Grandpa goes to Jefferson to marry Miss Love, Will decides to sneak off and go fishing at Blind Tillie Trestle with T.R. (his dog named after Theodore Roosevelt!). Will just wants to get away from his upset mama and papa and enjoy being a boy (instead of mourning). Will introduces the reader to Mill Town with its small, hot, cramped houses with the linty, disgruntled, exhausted mill workers on the porches. He worries about meeting his nemesis, Hosie Roach while walking through Mill Town where he refers to himself as "the town boy" passing by. He makes it, and once at the creek, he decides to walk across the train trestle, and tells us that it "occurred to" T.R. "to be scared."
Chapter 9: In Which We Learn Granny's Revered Place in Cold Sassy and How Grandpa Got Rich by Selling Off Her Land
In chapter nine, Will share many important facts about Granny and her marriage with Grandpa, like: 1) how Grandpa got all his wife's daddy's land and sold it to build his store . . . but never would buy her running water or electricity; 2) they had all girls and five died, 3) Granny was beloved by the community and had loved to tell about people dying in bizarre ways, 4) Grandpa seemed so lost without her that Will did "woman's work" to clean up the mess at Grandpa's house, and 5) Will realizes Granny's death would be remembered because her husband ran off with Miss Love to get married three weeks after she died.
Chapters 6-8: The Sad Passing of Will's Granny and Grandpa's Beautiful Tribute to Her
Chapters Six and Seven are pretty simple to summarize. In Six, Will describes Granny when she's sick, and tells about how she was really sick, and then seemed to be making a recovery. However, in Chapter Seven, Granny starts hallucinating, and dies after a few days.
Chapter Eight is one big flashback. Will and Grandpa make rose blankets for Granny's coffin, Will describes the funeral preparations and the procession, and Will and Grandpa talk about the reality and the wisdom of life and death and about roses and Granny, and then go home for a good night's sleep.
Chapter Eight is one big flashback. Will and Grandpa make rose blankets for Granny's coffin, Will describes the funeral preparations and the procession, and Will and Grandpa talk about the reality and the wisdom of life and death and about roses and Granny, and then go home for a good night's sleep.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Chapter Five: The Backstory of Rucker and Miss Mattie Lou Toy, Who Has a Stroke
In this chapter, Will describes Granny, and talks about the happy relationship Granny had with Grandpa, before she got sick. He tells how and where they met, how they interacted, and how the whole town admired her so. Will shares Granny's thoughts on "modrun" improvements (they would be great, but I can live without them), and how she tolerated Grandpa's stinginess on the matter.
The chapter ends on a very sad note. Granny has just gotten sick, and the doctor says that they'll just have to wait it out, and Will shares the family's initial reaction of despair.
The chapter ends on a very sad note. Granny has just gotten sick, and the doctor says that they'll just have to wait it out, and Will shares the family's initial reaction of despair.
Chapter Four: In Which We Learn of the Notorious Rucker E. Blakeslee, the "High" Position of Will's Family, and How "Ain't" Loma Married Beneath Herself,
Chapter Four is mainly composed of flashbacks and evaluations. Will talks about how Grandpa's joking personality, cheerful attitude, and generally mild temperament disappeared after Granny died - he became meaner and harsher. Will also describes Grandpa's relationship with the townspeople, and his important standing in the town. He is regarded as a leader and a true confederate.
Will also introduces Aunt Loma's lazy husband, Uncle Camp, whom she "married beneath herself." (Camp was considered lower class than Loma). Will describes Ms. Love, and her relationship with Grandpa, and more importantly the townspeople, who are wary of Ms. Love, with her being an outsider, and worse . . . a Yankee.
Will also introduces Aunt Loma's lazy husband, Uncle Camp, whom she "married beneath herself." (Camp was considered lower class than Loma). Will describes Ms. Love, and her relationship with Grandpa, and more importantly the townspeople, who are wary of Ms. Love, with her being an outsider, and worse . . . a Yankee.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Chapter 3: In Which We Learn That Grandpa's Wedding . . . Is TODAY
So, chapter three. It starts off with Will, our narrator, wondering why this marriage between Grandpa and Miss Love is such a big deal. He is also a bit upset at the fact that being in mourning for his grandma's death has prevented him from taking part in some really fun things, like a ride in an automobile, as well as simple things, like fishing, or comics! I mean, Granny wouldn't have wanted that for him, right?
Finally, Will's dad comes home with the news that Grandpa and Miss Love have just left to get married! Mama and Papa discuss the situation, and Will, listening in on their discussion, finds himself thinking about society, class, and a small flashback informing us of Loma's dreams of becoming an actress.
Finally, Will's dad comes home with the news that Grandpa and Miss Love have just left to get married! Mama and Papa discuss the situation, and Will, listening in on their discussion, finds himself thinking about society, class, and a small flashback informing us of Loma's dreams of becoming an actress.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Chapter Two: In Which Grandpa Explains His Impending Nuptials and All Hell Breaks Loose
So, basically, Grandpa Blakeslee says that he's marrying Miss Love (you know, Yankee, half his age, etc., etc., etc.) so he won't be a burden on the family, so he has someone to take care of him, like Granny Blakeslee used to. Very considerate of him, don't you agree? Well, Will's mother and Aunt Loma certainly beg to differ, as expressed in the two and a half pages of complaints and comments to each other about this new development ending with momma realizing Will is still there, and ordering him to go fetch the eggs.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Chapter One: In Which We Meet Our Narrator and His Grandpa Blakeslee
Summary: Three weeks after Will Tweedy's grandma dies, his grandfather
announces that he is planning to remarry to a woman half his age, Love
Simpson. Will's mother and aunt strongly disapprove of this plan.