The Giver of Stars
Chapter 7: Seven
by Moyes, JojoThe chapter opens with a historical context of Kentucky’s Appalachian region, where land companies exploited residents by purchasing mineral rights for negligible sums through broad form deeds. These agreements allowed unchecked environmental degradation, including pollution and land misuse, highlighting the economic and ecological struggles faced by the community. This backdrop sets the stage for the personal stories that follow, emphasizing the resilience of the people living in these challenging conditions.
The narrative shifts to a heartwarming interaction between Alice, a traveling librarian, and the Horner family. Mae, an eleven-year-old girl, impresses Alice with her reading skills and recounts baking a peach pie using a magazine recipe, showcasing her independence and intelligence. The girls’ enthusiasm for books, particularly Mae’s aspiration to become a librarian, underscores the transformative power of literacy and education in their lives. Their father, Jim Horner, reflects on his late wife’s influence and the girls’ growth, revealing his pride and emotional vulnerability.
A poignant moment arises when Jim apologizes to Alice for his initial hostility, acknowledging how her visits have brought joy and stability to his daughters. He expresses his desire for them to have better opportunities, considering enrolling them in a local school run by a kind German teacher, Mrs. Beidecker. This conversation highlights Jim’s struggle to balance traditional gender roles while raising his daughters alone, as well as his hope for their future beyond the confines of their mountain home.
The chapter concludes with Alice’s departure, leaving the girls engrossed in *Black Beauty*. The scene underscores the deep bond formed between Alice and the Horner family, as well as the broader impact of the traveling library program. Meanwhile, Margery’s meticulous ledger entries and book repairs reflect the library’s growing organization and community value, tying the personal narrative to the larger mission of literacy and empowerment in Appalachia.
FAQs
1. How does the chapter illustrate the impact of Alice’s library visits on the Horner family, particularly Mae and Millie?
Answer:
Alice’s visits have profoundly transformed the Horner household, both emotionally and intellectually. Mae has not only improved her reading skills (“I read it through four times yesterday”) but has also gained practical abilities like baking a peach pie using a magazine recipe, demonstrating literacy’s real-world applications. The girls’ enthusiasm for books (“Did Black Beauty come in yet?”) shows how Alice has given them intellectual stimulation and joy amid their grief. Jim Horner’s acknowledgment that the visits helped his daughters “stop crying for their mama” underscores the emotional healing Alice facilitated. The cabin’s shift from “bleak and dark” to a homely space with a quilt and apples reflects this positive change.2. Analyze Jim Horner’s character development in this chapter. What does his conversation with Alice reveal about his struggles and growth?
Answer:
Jim Horner evolves from a grieving, withdrawn father to one actively engaging with his daughters’ futures. Initially “not hospitable” after his wife’s death, he now appreciates Alice’s role in restoring joy to his children (“it’s much appreciated”). His vulnerability surfaces as he admits the difficulty of balancing “mother as well as father” roles, contrasting with his own father’s traditional detachment. His inquiry about Mrs. Beidecker’s school—especially his fear of corporal punishment—reveals protective instincts and a desire to break cycles of trauma (“Betsy got beat something awful”). This dialogue marks his growth: he recognizes his daughters’ potential (“I want more for them than this”) and seeks guidance, showing newfound openness.3. How does the chapter contrast the historical exploitation of Appalachia (via the epigraph) with the personal narrative of the Horner family?
Answer:
The epigraph highlights systemic exploitation through “broad form deeds” that stripped Appalachian residents of land rights for minimal compensation, leaving environmental and economic scars. This historical context contrasts with the Horners’ intimate story, where literacy (symbolized by Alice’s books) becomes a tool of empowerment against generational poverty. While the epigraph underscores external forces oppressing the region, the family’s narrative shows internal resilience: Mae’s baking and reading triumphs, and Jim’s determination to educate his daughters despite his own limitations (“My eyes ain’t too good”). Together, these layers critique structural inequities while celebrating individual agency.4. What significance does the book Black Beauty hold in this chapter, both literally and thematically?
Answer:
Literally, Black Beauty represents Mae and Millie’s advancing literacy—it’s a more challenging text with “longer words” and emotional depth (“sad in places”). Thematically, its focus on animal suffering parallels the Horners’ hardships (loss of Betsy, economic struggle), while the “horses talk” motif mirrors Jim’s silent grief and the girls’ need to articulate their emotions. Alice’s caution about the sadness hints at literature’s power to confront pain, a lesson Jim begins to grasp when Mae offers to read to him. The book thus bridges personal growth and broader themes of empathy, echoing Alice’s role in fostering connection through stories.5. How does the description of Alice’s coat (“scuffed with moss and mud”) and the changing mountain weather reflect her relationship with the community?
Answer:
The coat’s deterioration—once “fashionable tweed,” now frayed by bushes—symbolizes Alice’s integration into Appalachian life. Her physical transformation mirrors her emotional journey: initially an outsider spooked by the cabin, she now cherishes Millie’s hug and the “woodsmoke” scent of the girls’ hair. The encroaching winter (“settling into its foundations”) mirrors the challenges she and the Horners face, yet her steadfast visits show commitment. These details underscore her transition from a detached librarian to a figure deeply woven into the community’s fabric, sharing its hardships and warmth.
Quotes
1. “In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, agents for land companies had swept through the [Kentucky] mountain region buying up mineral rights from residents, sometimes for as little as 50 cents per acre… the broad form deeds often signed over the rights to ‘dump, store and leave upon said land any and all muck, bone, shale, water or other refuse,’ to use and pollute water courses in any manner, and to do anything ‘necessary and convenient’ to extract subsurface minerals.”
This opening quote establishes the historical exploitation of Appalachian communities by corporations, setting the socioeconomic backdrop for the chapter. It highlights the systemic injustice faced by residents through predatory land deals that prioritized profit over people and environment.
2. “I wanted to apologize… After my wife passed I was not myself for a while. Felt like the sky was falling in, you know?… But these last couple of months, seeing the girls stop crying for their mama, giving them something to look forward to every week, it’s—it’s… Well, I just wanted to say it’s much appreciated.”
Jim Horner’s emotional apology to Alice marks a turning point in their relationship and demonstrates the transformative power of the library program. This quote reveals how access to books has helped a grieving family heal and reconnect with hope.
3. “I thought I’d be just doing a man’s job. My own daddy just brought home the food and put his feet up and let my mama do all the rest. And now I have to be mother as well as father. Make all these decisions.”
This poignant reflection captures the novel’s exploration of gender roles and the challenges of single parenthood in 1930s Appalachia. Jim Horner’s vulnerability shows the cultural shifts beginning to occur as traditional family structures are redefined by circumstance.
4. “Miss Alice, what do you think of that school? The one with the German lady?… Made me realize—I can’t keep them close by me for ever. I want more for them than this, you know. Seeing as how smart they both are.”
This quote represents a significant character development moment where Jim Horner begins envisioning a better future for his daughters beyond their isolated mountain life. It underscores education as a pathway to opportunity and the library’s role in expanding horizons.
5. “The library was now immaculate, a system of labels marking the back of every shelved book so that it was easy for them to find their place, the books precisely ordered and categ…”
This closing description symbolizes the growing organization and impact of the library program. While truncated, it suggests how the women have created order from chaos, mirroring the structure and hope they’re bringing to the community through literacy.