Fudge-a-Mania

Fudge-a-Mania takes place in Southwest Harbor, Maine. The Hatcher family stays in a duplex beach house with the Tubman family and spends their time on the rocky beaches, out on the water, and enjoying the isolated, small-town feel of the area. The natural environment of Maine thus becomes a recurring motif in the text that contrasts with the family’s home in the heart of New York City.

Despite Peter’s initial hesitations about the trip, the Maine scenery soon overtakes him, and he finds himself feeling grateful to be there: “It’s so quiet […] and dark. In the city it’s never dark […] It’s never quiet either. You can hear the buzz of traffic even in the middle of the night” (56). Still, Peter remains skeptical at times, such as when he criticizes Sheila and Fudge for collecting rocks, which he considers boring. When Peter and Fudge must go out into the white fog to find Uncle Feather, the imagery is vivid, emphasizing Maine’s unique weather, which often mirrors Peter’s moods: “Outside the fog was so thick you couldn’t even see the cars parked in our driveway. It was like standing inside a big white cloud” (32). Later, the family takes a sailing trip out onto the wild Atlantic waters. It is peaceful at first, but they soon find themselves facing the challenge of navigating high waves and strong winds, and the families support each other through the terrifying incident. In the story’s conclusion, Grandma and Buzzy Senior are married, and the wedding is put together with the help of the beauty of Maine. They are married under the trees in the wide outdoors and are given gifts like painted rocks and bike helmets. For the Hatcher family, a quiet trip to Maine was exactly what they needed to appreciate one another again and to learn The Importance of Levity in new and challenging situations.