The Giver of Stars
Chapter 16: Sixteen
by Moyes, JojoThe chapter opens with a relentless March rainstorm that transforms the landscape, turning roads into mud and rivers into threats. The oppressive weather mirrors the slow, brooding nature of the land itself, as described by a Faulkner quote. Horses and cars struggle against the conditions, while farmers and shopkeepers voice their unease. Margery returns from her early morning rounds drenched, joining the other librarians and Fred in the library, where they share a growing sense of foreboding about the rising waters. The group reminisces to pass the time, but their anxiety mounts as the rain intensifies.
Fred recounts past floods, including a tragic story of his father losing horses to a sudden river surge. He warns Alice of the dangers, emphasizing the unpredictability of the water. The librarians, now acutely aware of the threat, are interrupted by a mailman who alerts them to the rapidly rising river. With the sheriff’s office unmanned, Margery, Beth, and Alice spring into action, preparing to warn residents in low-lying areas. The urgency of their mission contrasts with the earlier idle chatter, highlighting the community’s vulnerability to nature’s force.
Meanwhile, Izzy is trapped at home, frustrated by her mother’s insistence on sewing and her parents’ refusal to let her return to the library. Her anger and boredom boil over as she argues with her mother, who tries to placate her with offers of horseback riding and singing lessons. Izzy, however, longs for her independence and the camaraderie of her friends. As Mrs. Brady frets over the rising river and calls her husband for advice, Izzy seizes the moment to escape, leaving her leg brace behind and venturing out into the storm.
The chapter culminates in action as Margery and Beth race through the downpour to warn residents of the impending flood. Their determination contrasts with Izzy’s impulsive flight, both acts driven by a refusal to be passive in the face of adversity. The rain becomes a unifying force, exposing the characters’ fears and resolve. The chapter ends on a tense note, with the community bracing for disaster and the librarians stepping into leadership roles, while Izzy’s whereabouts remain uncertain, adding to the sense of impending crisis.
FAQs
1. How does the weather serve as both a literal and symbolic force in this chapter?
Answer:
The relentless rain in this chapter functions both as a tangible environmental challenge and a metaphor for the characters’ emotional states. Literally, the downpour creates dangerous conditions—turning roads to mud, flooding rivers, and disrupting daily life (as seen when Margery returns “soaked to her socks” and Fred recalls past flood tragedies). Symbolically, the persistent rain mirrors the characters’ lingering struggles: Izzy’s confinement and frustration, the librarians’ sense of foreboding, and the broader theme of hardship in rural life. Faulkner’s epigraph underscores this duality, suggesting how the land’s “opaque, slow, violent” nature shapes human existence.2. Analyze the contrasting responses to crisis between Izzy and the librarians. What does this reveal about their characters?
Answer:
While the librarians (Margery, Beth, and Alice) respond to the rising flood threat with immediate, collective action—organizing warnings and preparing to ride out—Izzy reacts with impulsive rebellion, abandoning her leg brace to escape her stifling home. This contrast highlights key traits: the librarians demonstrate pragmatism and community-mindedness forged through their work, while Izzy’s desperation reflects her pent-up frustration at being isolated from that very community. Her mother’s offer of trivial distractions (quilting, singing lessons) further emphasizes Izzy’s yearning for meaningful purpose, which the library previously provided.3. How does Fred’s anecdote about the flood from his childhood contribute to the chapter’s tension?
Answer:
Fred’s recollection of his father losing “an entire locked barn of mares and foals” serves as both foreshadowing and emotional grounding. The vivid details—a cow wedged 25 feet up a tree, houses swept downstream—heighten the current threat by showing the flood’s potential devastation. His father’s uncharacteristic weeping underscores the trauma, making Fred’s present warnings more urgent. This history also explains his cautious actions (moving horses to high ground) and lends credibility to the group’s growing unease, making their decision to warn neighbors feel like a race against time.4. What does the interaction between Izzy and her mother reveal about generational and gender expectations in their society?
Answer:
Their conflict exposes rigid expectations for young women: Mrs. Brady insists Izzy focus on domestic skills like embroidery (“running stitch where it should be a chain stitch”) and proposes “proper” hobbies (quilting, singing) that align with traditional femininity. Izzy’s rejection of these—calling horseback riding in circles “stupid”—reveals her desire for autonomy and purpose beyond decoration. Her mother’s conditional offer of a horse (only if ridden decorously) contrasts sharply with Izzy’s previous work at the library, highlighting how societal norms limit women’s roles. The tension reflects broader themes of rebellion against prescribed gender roles in the novel.5. How does the chapter use sensory details to immerse the reader in the setting? Provide specific examples.
Answer:
The chapter employs rich sensory language to evoke the oppressive atmosphere. Auditory details like the “gurgle of surface water” and gutters “protesting against the weight” of rain create a soundscape of unease. Tactile imagery—horses with “tails clamped to their hindquarters,” Margery’s soaked socks—emphasizes physical discomfort. Visual descriptions of “gray skies” and a blurred horizon mirror the characters’ obscured futures. Even smell is implied through the damp (“slick, wet huddle” of horses). These details collectively build a visceral experience of the unrelenting rain, making the environmental threat feel tangible and the characters’ resilience more striking.
Quotes
1. “That’s the one trouble with this country: everything, weather, all, hangs on too long. Like our rivers, our land: opaque, slow, violent; shaping and creating the life of man in its implacable and brooding image.”
This opening quote (attributed to Faulkner) sets the thematic tone for the chapter, connecting the relentless weather to the unyielding nature of the land and its influence on human life. It foreshadows the coming flood and the characters’ struggles against forces beyond their control.
2. “I miss my job, Mother, and I miss my friends. I had real friends for the first time in my life. I was happy at the library. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
Izzy’s passionate outburst reveals her deep frustration at being confined and separated from her meaningful work at the library. This quote highlights the transformative power of the library community and the tension between traditional expectations and personal fulfillment.
3. “I don’t like it.” / “Me neither.”
This simple exchange between Margery and Fred carries significant weight as their shared intuition about the dangerous situation creates a moment of quiet dread. The sparse dialogue effectively conveys their unspoken understanding and the looming threat of the flood.
4. “Well, now you’re just being dramatic.”
Mrs. Brady’s dismissive response to Izzy’s genuine distress encapsulates the generational divide and lack of understanding between them. This quote represents the broader theme of traditional values clashing with personal aspirations that runs through the chapter.
5. “Water’s rising. Get to higher ground.”
This urgent warning from Margery and Beth marks the turning point where the chapter shifts from atmospheric tension to active crisis. The terse command reflects both the immediate danger and the librarians’ transition into community protectors.