Search Jump: Comments
    Chapter Index
    Back to Story

    Small Great Things

    by

    Picoult, Jodi

    Jodi Picoult’s Small Great Things (2016) explores themes of race, privilege, and justice through the story of Ruth Jefferson, an African American labor and delivery nurse accused of causing the death of a white supremacist couple’s newborn. The novel alternates perspectives between Ruth, the infant’s father Turk Bauer, and Ruth’s public defender Kennedy McQuarrie, revealing systemic racism and personal biases. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote about doing “small things in a great way,” the narrative examines moral dilemmas and societal structures. The book has been praised for its thought-provoking examination of contemporary racial tensions and is being adapted into a film.

    PreviousNext
    Small Great Things

    Stage One: Transition — Ruth 4

    by

    Picoult, Jodi

    Ruth, work­ing an exhaust­ing shift at McDon­ald’s, reflects on her strained rela­tion­ship with her son Edi­son, who has become increas­ing­ly dis­tant and rebel­lious since return­ing to school. She wor­ries about his aca­d­e­m­ic per­for­mance and her abil­i­ty to moti­vate him, espe­cial­ly as her own life has been upend­ed by a wrong­ful tri­al. The chap­ter high­lights her inter­nal con­flict as she grap­ples with the dis­con­nect between her aspi­ra­tions for Edi­son and the harsh real­i­ties they face, sym­bol­ized by his silent chal­lenge to her belief in the Amer­i­can dream.

    The nar­ra­tive shifts to Ruth’s encounter with a group of teenagers at McDon­ald’s, where a blonde girl rude­ly mim­ics African Amer­i­can Ver­nac­u­lar Eng­lish (AAVE) while order­ing food. Ruth is deeply offend­ed by the girl’s con­de­scend­ing tone and cul­tur­al appro­pri­a­tion but choos­es not to esca­late the sit­u­a­tion when her boss inter­venes. This moment under­scores Ruth’s dai­ly strug­gles with microag­gres­sions and the emo­tion­al labor required to nav­i­gate them in a ser­vice job, where assert­ing her­self could cost her employ­ment.

    Lat­er, Ruth receives urgent calls from her lawyer, Kennedy, who con­fronts her about activist Wal­lace Mer­cy lead­ing a cour­t­house march in her name with­out her con­sent. Ruth denies involve­ment and learns her sis­ter Adisa par­tic­i­pat­ed, fur­ther com­pli­cat­ing her legal and per­son­al life. The chap­ter reveals the ten­sion between Ruth’s desire for a low-pro­file legal defense and Adis­a’s incli­na­tion toward pub­lic activism, which risks under­min­ing Kennedy’s strat­e­gy.

    The chap­ter con­cludes with Ruth vis­it­ing Adisa to address the Wal­lace Mer­cy sit­u­a­tion. Adisa, unapolo­getic and excit­ed about her media appear­ance, dis­miss­es Ruth’s con­cerns and implies Kennedy’s advice is influ­enced by racial bias. Ruth reit­er­ates her refusal to be a “poster child” for activism, empha­siz­ing her pref­er­ence for a qui­et, dig­ni­fied fight. This con­fronta­tion high­lights the broad­er theme of dif­fer­ing approach­es to racial jus­tice with­in the Black com­mu­ni­ty, as well as Ruth’s resilience in assert­ing her auton­o­my amid exter­nal pres­sures.

    Down­load PDF Sum­ma­ry

    FAQs

    • 1. How does Ruth’s relationship with her son Edison reflect the broader themes of racial inequality and disillusionment in this chapter?

      Answer:
      Ruth’s strained relationship with Edison illustrates the intergenerational impact of systemic racism. While Ruth has always encouraged her son to excel beyond societal expectations (“you can be anything you want in this world”), her wrongful trial has shattered this idealistic worldview for both of them. Edison’s sullen behavior—withdrawing, playing loud hip-hop, and challenging Ruth with silent defiance—mirrors his growing awareness of racial barriers. The chapter highlights this tension when Ruth internally acknowledges her inability to convincingly preach upward mobility while facing institutional racism herself. This dynamic underscores how systemic injustice erodes parental authority and young Black men’s faith in meritocracy.

      2. Analyze the significance of the McDonald’s customer’s use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) when addressing Ruth.

      Answer:
      The blond teen’s deliberate use of AAVE (“mama,” “jus’ aksin’”) represents cultural appropriation and microaggression. Her performative dialect—contrasting with her glittery blush and privileged demeanor—reduces Black speech patterns to a caricature while asserting social dominance over Ruth, a Black service worker. This moment is pivotal because Ruth recognizes the insult (noting the girl is “as far from Black as possible”) but chooses not to confront it due to workplace power dynamics. The scene encapsulates how racial mockery persists in everyday interactions and how economic precarity (Ruth’s need to keep her job) forces marginalized people to tolerate such indignities.

      Answer:
      Adisa’s alliance with activist Wallace Mercy—organizing a courthouse march without Ruth’s consent—exposes a conflict between individual and communal approaches to racial justice. While Ruth prefers Kennedy’s cautious legal strategy, Adisa embraces public activism as both personal expression (“you can tell it’s me by the coat”) and political statement. Their argument reveals deeper ideological rifts: Adisa critiques Ruth’s reliance on a “white lawyer,” advocating for unapologetic Black resistance, whereas Ruth resists becoming a “poster child” for movements she didn’t choose. This tension mirrors real-world debates about who controls narratives in social justice struggles and whether respectability politics or confrontational activism better serves marginalized communities.

      4. What does Ruth’s decision not to confront her boss at McDonald’s reveal about the intersection of race, class, and power?

      Answer:
      Ruth’s silent retreat when Jeff intervenes demonstrates the calculated survival strategies of working-class Black women. Despite recognizing multiple injustices—the customer’s mockery, her boss’s automatic suspicion of her—Ruth prioritizes job security over dignity, knowing that challenging authority could cost her employment. This moment reflects intersectional oppression: as a Black woman in a low-wage job, Ruth lacks the social capital to demand respect without repercussions. The chapter underscores this when she internally notes the girl’s privilege to forget the encounter while Ruth agonizes over it, highlighting how systemic inequities force marginalized individuals to absorb microaggressions to maintain economic stability.

    Quotes

    • 1. “Every time Edison and I get into it these days, I can see that challenge in his eyes: I dare you. I dare you to say you still believe that lie.”

      This quote captures Ruth’s painful realization that her son is losing faith in the American dream due to her wrongful prosecution. It represents the central tension between parental hope and systemic injustice.

      2. “She looks at her two friends, and her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline as if I’ve said something offensive. ‘Don’t worry, mama, I was jus’ aksin’…‘”

      This moment highlights racial microaggressions as a white teen appropriates Black vernacular while dismissing Ruth. The interaction shows how racism manifests in everyday encounters, even in casual speech patterns.

      3. “There are so many problems. From the fact that I am not this girl’s mama to the fact that she will not remember this conversation an hour from now. But if I choose this particular moment to stand up for myself, I will pay a price.”

      Ruth’s internal monologue reveals the exhausting calculus of responding to racism - weighing self-respect against professional consequences. This illustrates the constant emotional labor marginalized people perform.

      4. “‘Your white lawyer tell you that?’ ‘Adisa,’ I sigh. ‘I never wanted to be someone’s poster child.’”

      This exchange between sisters shows the tension between activist approaches (Adisa/Wallace Mercy) and Ruth’s desire for individual justice. It raises questions about who gets to control narratives about racial injustice.

      5. “How am I supposed to encourage my son to be better than most people expect him to be? How can I say, with a straight face, you can be anything you want in this world—when I struggled and studied and excelled and still wound up on trial for something I did not do?”

      This powerful rhetorical question encapsulates the chapter’s central conflict - maintaining hope and ambition in a system designed to suppress Black achievement. It shows Ruth’s crisis of faith in meritocracy.

    Quotes

    1. “Every time Edison and I get into it these days, I can see that challenge in his eyes: I dare you. I dare you to say you still believe that lie.”

    This quote captures Ruth’s painful realization that her son is losing faith in the American dream due to her wrongful prosecution. It represents the central tension between parental hope and systemic injustice.

    2. “She looks at her two friends, and her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline as if I’ve said something offensive. ‘Don’t worry, mama, I was jus’ aksin’…‘”

    This moment highlights racial microaggressions as a white teen appropriates Black vernacular while dismissing Ruth. The interaction shows how racism manifests in everyday encounters, even in casual speech patterns.

    3. “There are so many problems. From the fact that I am not this girl’s mama to the fact that she will not remember this conversation an hour from now. But if I choose this particular moment to stand up for myself, I will pay a price.”

    Ruth’s internal monologue reveals the exhausting calculus of responding to racism - weighing self-respect against professional consequences. This illustrates the constant emotional labor marginalized people perform.

    4. “‘Your white lawyer tell you that?’ ‘Adisa,’ I sigh. ‘I never wanted to be someone’s poster child.’”

    This exchange between sisters shows the tension between activist approaches (Adisa/Wallace Mercy) and Ruth’s desire for individual justice. It raises questions about who gets to control narratives about racial injustice.

    5. “How am I supposed to encourage my son to be better than most people expect him to be? How can I say, with a straight face, you can be anything you want in this world—when I struggled and studied and excelled and still wound up on trial for something I did not do?”

    This powerful rhetorical question encapsulates the chapter’s central conflict - maintaining hope and ambition in a system designed to suppress Black achievement. It shows Ruth’s crisis of faith in meritocracy.

    FAQs

    1. How does Ruth’s relationship with her son Edison reflect the broader themes of racial inequality and disillusionment in this chapter?

    Answer:
    Ruth’s strained relationship with Edison illustrates the intergenerational impact of systemic racism. While Ruth has always encouraged her son to excel beyond societal expectations (“you can be anything you want in this world”), her wrongful trial has shattered this idealistic worldview for both of them. Edison’s sullen behavior—withdrawing, playing loud hip-hop, and challenging Ruth with silent defiance—mirrors his growing awareness of racial barriers. The chapter highlights this tension when Ruth internally acknowledges her inability to convincingly preach upward mobility while facing institutional racism herself. This dynamic underscores how systemic injustice erodes parental authority and young Black men’s faith in meritocracy.

    2. Analyze the significance of the McDonald’s customer’s use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) when addressing Ruth.

    Answer:
    The blond teen’s deliberate use of AAVE (“mama,” “jus’ aksin’”) represents cultural appropriation and microaggression. Her performative dialect—contrasting with her glittery blush and privileged demeanor—reduces Black speech patterns to a caricature while asserting social dominance over Ruth, a Black service worker. This moment is pivotal because Ruth recognizes the insult (noting the girl is “as far from Black as possible”) but chooses not to confront it due to workplace power dynamics. The scene encapsulates how racial mockery persists in everyday interactions and how economic precarity (Ruth’s need to keep her job) forces marginalized people to tolerate such indignities.

    Answer:
    Adisa’s alliance with activist Wallace Mercy—organizing a courthouse march without Ruth’s consent—exposes a conflict between individual and communal approaches to racial justice. While Ruth prefers Kennedy’s cautious legal strategy, Adisa embraces public activism as both personal expression (“you can tell it’s me by the coat”) and political statement. Their argument reveals deeper ideological rifts: Adisa critiques Ruth’s reliance on a “white lawyer,” advocating for unapologetic Black resistance, whereas Ruth resists becoming a “poster child” for movements she didn’t choose. This tension mirrors real-world debates about who controls narratives in social justice struggles and whether respectability politics or confrontational activism better serves marginalized communities.

    4. What does Ruth’s decision not to confront her boss at McDonald’s reveal about the intersection of race, class, and power?

    Answer:
    Ruth’s silent retreat when Jeff intervenes demonstrates the calculated survival strategies of working-class Black women. Despite recognizing multiple injustices—the customer’s mockery, her boss’s automatic suspicion of her—Ruth prioritizes job security over dignity, knowing that challenging authority could cost her employment. This moment reflects intersectional oppression: as a Black woman in a low-wage job, Ruth lacks the social capital to demand respect without repercussions. The chapter underscores this when she internally notes the girl’s privilege to forget the encounter while Ruth agonizes over it, highlighting how systemic inequities force marginalized individuals to absorb microaggressions to maintain economic stability.

    Note