The Giver of Stars
Chapter 6: Six
by Moyes, JojoIn Chapter Six, Alice reflects on her initial enjoyment of the weekly church dinners in Baileyville, where the lively storytelling and communal atmosphere provided a temporary escape from her somber household. However, the mood shifts as the conversation turns to her and Bennett’s lack of children, with Mr. Van Cleve and other guests making pointed remarks about her fertility. Alice silently resents the intrusive scrutiny, particularly the implication that her work as a packhorse librarian might be to blame. The dinner becomes a battleground of unsolicited advice and outdated beliefs, leaving Alice feeling isolated and defensive.
The tension escalates as the guests share superstitious remedies and anecdotes about fertility, all while Bennett remains conspicuously silent. Alice’s frustration grows as Annie, the housekeeper, smugly observes her menstrual stains, reinforcing the town’s gossip about her inability to conceive. The men joke about her horseback riding, suggesting it harms her reproductive health, while Alice counters with logical arguments, citing examples of active women who bear children effortlessly. Her sarcastic remarks about Queen Victoria and mountain women highlight the absurdity of their claims, but her defiance only earns patronizing responses.
Alice’s anger peaks as she challenges the men to produce evidence for their claims, exposing their ignorance. Her emotional outburst, however, is met with condescension, as the men dismiss her concerns and offer prayers instead of genuine support. The chapter underscores the oppressive gender dynamics and societal expectations Alice faces, with her intelligence and autonomy constantly undermined by the patriarchal figures around her. Her husband’s passive complicity further isolates her, leaving her to fight battles alone.
The chapter concludes with Bennett confronting Alice about her behavior, though the conversation is cut short. The scene captures Alice’s growing resentment toward her stifling environment and the hypocrisy of those who claim to act in her “best interests.” Her struggle for agency and respect is palpable, setting the stage for further conflict as she navigates the constraints of her marriage and community. The chapter masterfully blends humor and tension, revealing the deeper societal critiques embedded in Alice’s personal experiences.
FAQs
1. How does Alice initially feel about the weekly church dinners in Baileyville, and what changes her perspective?
Answer:
Alice initially enjoys the weekly church dinners because they bring liveliness to the somber Van Cleve household and offer better food than Annie’s usual cooking. She appreciates the storytelling culture of Kentucky, which allows her to eat undisturbed. However, her perspective shifts when the conversations turn invasive, focusing on her childless status and criticizing her work as a packhorse librarian. The intrusive questions and unsolicited advice about her fertility and riding habits make her defensive, leading to tension at the dinner table.2. Analyze the gender dynamics and societal expectations revealed in the chapter. How do they affect Alice?
Answer:
The chapter highlights rigid gender roles in 1930s Kentucky, where women are expected to prioritize childbearing and domestic duties. Alice faces pressure from Mr. Van Cleve, Pastor McIntosh, and others to conceive, with her worth tied to motherhood. Her work as a librarian is dismissed as harmful to her fertility, reflecting patriarchal myths about women’s health. Bennett’s silence and Annie’s smug monitoring of Alice’s menstrual cycle further underscore the societal scrutiny of women’s bodies. Alice’s sarcastic rebuttals (e.g., citing Queen Victoria’s horseback riding) reveal her frustration with these oppressive norms.3. How does Alice challenge the pseudoscientific claims about women riding horses? What does this reveal about her character?
Answer:
Alice demands evidence for the claim that horseback riding “jiggles” women’s insides, asking Pastor McIntosh to produce the alleged medical article. She counters with examples of English noblewomen and mountain girls who remain fertile despite physical labor, exposing the hypocrisy of the argument. This shows her intelligence, wit, and refusal to accept baseless assertions. Her insistence on facts reflects her growth as a confident woman who questions authority, though her emotional outburst (“There is nothing wrong with me”) also reveals the toll of constant scrutiny.4. What role does humor play in the chapter, and how does it highlight cultural differences?
Answer:
Humor serves as both a bonding tool and a weapon. Kentucky’s storytelling culture initially delights Alice, with its “competitive sport” of anecdotes. However, the men’s crude jokes about Alice being “bow-legged” from riding horses turn humor into a means of shaming her. Alice’s sarcasm (e.g., comparing childbirth to “shelling peas”) becomes her defense mechanism, contrasting with the folksy, patriarchal humor of the locals. This clash underscores the cultural gap between Alice’s English upbringing and rural Kentucky’s norms.5. Critical Thinking: How does the chapter portray the tension between tradition and progress through Alice’s conflict?
Answer:
Alice embodies progress through her independence (working outside the home, valuing education) and rejection of superstition (e.g., dismissing the “Green Garter” fertility remedy). The Van Cleve household represents tradition, enforcing rigid gender roles and pseudoscience. The conflict peaks when Alice challenges the pastor’s claims, symbolizing a broader struggle between empirical knowledge and dogma. However, her isolation—Bennett’s silence, Annie’s smugness—shows the costs of resisting tradition. The chapter suggests that progress is possible but met with resistance in insular communities.
Quotes
1. “A house isn’t a home without a babby running through it.”
This quote from Mr. Van Cleve encapsulates the societal pressure Alice faces to conceive, highlighting the traditional expectations placed on women in this community. It sets the tone for the uncomfortable dinner conversation about Alice’s childlessness.
2. “My insides are not curdled, thank you… But I would be very interested to see the article.”
Alice’s sarcastic retort challenges the pseudoscientific claims about horseback riding affecting fertility, demonstrating her growing frustration with the patriarchal assumptions controlling her life. This marks a turning point in her passive resistance.
3. “Knowledge is so important, don’t you think? We all say at the library, without facts we really do have nothing.”
Alice weaponizes her librarian identity to call out the men’s baseless claims, using their own rhetoric against them. This quote showcases her intelligence and the power dynamics at play in the conversation.
4. “There is nothing wrong with me,” she whispered angrily. She was furious to hear the tremor in her voice.
This vulnerable moment reveals Alice’s internal struggle between maintaining composure and defending herself against unfair scrutiny. The emotional crack in her voice ironically gives the men exactly what they wanted to see - an “emotional” woman.
5. “Sometimes a young lady doesn’t always know what’s in her own interests. That’s what we’re here for, Alice, to mind your best interests.”
Mr. Van Cleve’s patronizing conclusion perfectly captures the paternalistic attitude Alice is fighting against, revealing how male authority figures justify controlling women’s lives under the guise of benevolence.