How Far She Went

In the seventh story of this collection, the entire notion of accepting loss or sadness is not only rejected, it is done so by a young boy. The story opens by guiding the reader to see Carpenter as the archetypical Southern, manly hero—a man who settles his own accounts. However, it is his son who not only draws the “manly conclusion” that Lady has been shot by someone they know, but also who decides that the issue must be handled in a manly fashion.

The actions advance the notion that if there is suffering in life, the only option is to confront it. The story marks an evolution in the collection as a whole—from characters who accept what life brings to ones who not only reject but avenge loss and despair. The story also picks up on the cycle of violence and abuse seen in earlier stories. Carpenter Petty’s wife, Valjean, knows that his anger can reach dangerous heights if she doesn’t try and calm him. It’s unclear if this anger might be inflicted upon Dennis and Valjean, but it is clear that this anger is toxic. Carpenter’s anger is akin to toxic masculinity, the idea of manliness as something innate, traditional, potent, normal, and powerful. This idea of being manly is toxic enough in an adult like Carpenter, but the story shows how his son, Dennis, picks up on this learned behavior and decides to take matters into his own hand. Dennis seemingly takes his father’s gun and decides to get revenge on whomever he believes killed their dog. This revelation underscores just how much kids learn from their parents, and also how dangerous toxic masculinity can be. The call at the end of the story suggests that either Dennis has killed someone and has been apprehended, or even perhaps that Dennis has been a victim of his own toxic masculinity. It’s not stated outright what has happened, but Hood does show how one form of violence can give way to other forms of violence.