Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books

“He said it’s easier for girls to dress modestly than for boys to behave. And so I told him I wasn’t interested in following rules that make life harder for girls so it can be easier for boys.”

Bella makes this comment after her high school principal explains that revealing female attire makes it impossible for boys to concentrate. As she points out, someone else’s attention deficit is neither her problem nor her responsibility. She uses societal hypocrisy to emphasize this point. Her rejection of these norms demonstrates critical awareness fostered by reading a banned book, The Girl’s Guide to the Revolution. This demonstrates The Transformative Power of Books.

“‘They were just ordinary people. That’s what makes them so terrifying. Monsters you can fight. But when the people who come for you in the night are your neighbors and coworkers and classmates…When you never know who’s sick and who’s not…’ He shrugged.

‘Sick?’

‘Hate is a disease, Dawn.’”

Dawn is having a conversation with her Jewish friend, Mr. Stempel, shortly after her son painted a swastika on his front door. She is also reading Anne Frank’s diary, which leads her to label Nazis as monsters. Stempel’s reply furthers this categorization and uses a metaphor of disease to convey how regular citizens can become infected by hate. The juxtaposition of “ordinary people” and “monsters” emphasizes people’s capacity for cruelty, something that is on display in Troy.

“How do you improve yourself without challenging your mind? How do you leave a better world for your children? Delvin wondered. Then he remembered that was the point. People like Lula didn’t want change. They were perfectly happy with the way things were.”

As a Black man living in a small Southern town, Delvin feels a strong need to leave the world a better place for his children. Lula, on the other hand, resists change and refuses to challenge her entrenched beliefs. Delvin’s internal rhetorical questions, which he answers, demonstrate the close-minded nature some Troy residents perpetuate.

“Every patch of ground was a world of its own. Every life-form inside it was thriving, dying, or transforming. And all these years, she’d been trying so hard to keep things the same.”

Crystal is having an epiphany about the nature of life when she takes her walk in the woods after reading a book on witchcraft. The contrast between vibrant, expansive nature, evidenced by each patch of grass as its own world with life forms changing, and her previous desire to keep things the same critiques the static behavior of her community.

“Some people loved her. Other people loathed her. But she could feel the fear radiating from all of them. They knew she could make their lives miserable if the fancy struck her. For the first time in her life, Lula had the power she deserved.”

Lula’s inner monologue reveals her motives. She seeks an elevated social status so she can exert power over others and sees fear as a useful way to accomplish her goals, demonstrated by fear radiating from community members. Lula intentionally leverages broader societal disinformation, specifically media that views LGBTQ+ people as predatory and dangerous toward youth, to exert control in her community.

“The bluntness of the word rape had caught her off guard. There was an honesty to it. It seemed like people in Troy were always trying to pretty things up. People weren’t mentally ill, they were touched. They didn’t die, they went to a better place. They stepped politely around uncomfortable subjects—and the people who inspired them.”

Darlene’s commentary on euphemisms reflects societal tendencies to sanitize uncomfortable truths such as sexual assault. The juxtaposition of “bluntness” and “prettying things up” critiques avoidance in addressing sexual violence and silencing survivors. By stepping around uncomfortable subjects and the people connected to them, Darlene highlights the role of Protecting Southern Small-Town Secrets in Troy.

“When she finished the book, Beverly finally understood the phrase ignorance is bliss. Her world was different. It was shattered, it was sullied…The audacity of a man like her ancestor—claiming words like freedom, honor, and dignity when he’d deprived so many people of those very things.”

Beverly is talking about her reaction to reading This Blood and Soil, which details the atrocities plantation owners in Georgia committed. While she is shocked to know that her ancestor was an enslaver, evidenced by her world shattering, she also doesn’t shy away from unpleasant truths. This separates her from many members of her community who would prefer to ignore facts that don’t fit the Lost Cause narrative.

“The first thing you need to do, Beverly, is keep learning. There are people in this town who are stuck. There are some that insist on going backward. You want to make up for what your ancestor did? Learn everything you can and do your best to lead the way forward.”

Beverly receives these words of advice from the librarian who first opened her eyes to the abuses of men like Augustus Wainwright. The novel frequently juxtaposes past and future, depicting characters that align with each other. Beverly is initially so upset by past atrocities that she succumbs to a sense of guilt and despair. Her librarian friend refocuses her on making things better for the future, rather than lamenting past wrongs.

“I believe that we’re at a crossroads. People like my opponent want us to give up everything we’ve always held sacred. Our values, our history, our place in this world. If she wins and this town follows her, men like you are going to be tossed on the scrap heap of history right next to Augustus Wainwright.”

Lula is trying to win Mitch’s support for her mayoral campaign. She is astute enough to recognize his overwhelming need for attention and to play on his fear of losing it. She paints a picture of the actor being tossed on a scrap heap. This is Mitch’s nightmare, and Lula knows it. She uses the same tactic to gain power over the community by playing on its anti-gay bias. Early in the novel, Bella points out that fear is an established way of controlling people.

“What matters is never letting people tell you what to think […] Gather as much knowledge as you can, because information is power. And choosing how to use it is freedom. The more you know, the freer you will be.”

Troy’s current librarian is Indigenous. This quote represents a general piece of advice her grandmother gave her, but the words also apply to Troy’s book ban. The community has trusted Lula to tell them what to think because she has skillfully played on their fears of the outside world. Information is power, but Lula wants to restrict the flow of that power and hoard it for herself.

“Here was a woman who had a kind husband, a comfortable home, and two children she adored. Lula had everything she needed to be blissfully happy. Instead, she insisted on taking part in a game that made her life miserable. It never occurred to her that she did not have to play.”

Betsy’s reflection on Lula’s life reveals the irony of her quest for power despite having a fulfilling life. The metaphor of a “game” trivializes Lula’s actions, critiquing her moral crusade and highlighting the absurdity of her need for social dominance.

“Everywhere Isaac looked, people wanted to go back. Back to a time when people like him either didn’t exist—or kept their damn mouths shut. Back to a time when there were plenty of confirmed bachelors, but nobody was gay.”

Like most of the other young people in the novel, Isaac has no trouble embracing change. He recognizes that his elders are threatened by a world that no longer resembles the one in which they grew up. He critiques the elders' longing for an idealized past. This recognition of historical reality challenges the illusion that such a past ever truly existed. LGBTQ+ people always existed, a fact Isaac points out here.

“So they had to turn ordinary people into villains. But for people like Lula Dean, that was a reasonable price. They had to do whatever it took to keep future generations from living lives more fulfilling than their own. Instead of an equitable future, they preached a return to a glorious past.”

Isaac’s description of Lula’s strategy highlights how she uses fear as a tool for social control. The notion of “turning ordinary people into villains” critiques how fear and envy can drive communities to uphold oppressive norms, contrasting the desire for an equitable future that shirks outdated values. While Lula’s prime motivation is the fear of losing her social status, she is equally driven by envy of anyone who climbs higher than she can.

“The only thing that matters is who you’ve loved. Once they knew that simple truth, they’d wish to God, just like she did, that they’d figured it out while their life was ahead of them. When you’re very old, people want to know—what’s the secret to a good, long life? Bernice would tell them: live and let live. Be true to yourself and let others do the same. It was good advice, but people never seemed to listen.”

Bernice has finally settled down with her true love after deferring her happiness for decades out of fear of social disapproval. She makes this statement with the benefit of hindsight at a time when her town is still caught between the conflicting goals of past glory and future freedom. By the end of the novel, Troy’s attitudes have changed enough that quite a few people are capable of hearing and applying Bernice’s words of wisdom.

“Now let me tell you what the rest of the world sees. We see the statue of a man who owned hundreds of human beings and fought a war to keep them. And we see people living almost two hundred years later who want that man standing outside their county courthouse. The courthouse where every American is supposed to be treated equally.”

Dr. Chokshi is explaining to Mitch why small Southern towns have so much trouble attracting medical talent. His comment offers a practical reason why the region needs to get past its infatuation with the Lost Cause myth and critiques Troy’s infatuation with historical figures who symbolize oppression. While Troy might want to uphold tradition by keeping their statue, their loyalty to celebrating an enslaver will have very real consequences for the town’s future health and prosperity.

“She cringed at the thought that those men’s blood might flow through her veins. Then she thought of the women who’d survived. Who’d raised their children against all odds and refused to give in. And she imagined their strength inside her. Those were the footsteps she wanted to follow.”

Beverly’s internal conflict between her ancestor’s legacy, which includes sexual violence, and the resilience of survivors presents a choice of identity. This juxtaposition emphasizes the novel’s exploration of historical accountability and the possibility of embracing a more empowering lineage of resilience and strength.

“He reminded Delvin of a few guys he’d known in the army—quiet types who seemed perfectly sane until they started talking. Then it would become clear that their reality wasn’t one you could recognize. Their earth was flat and run by a shadowy cabal.”

Delvin is describing Logan’s aberrant behavior, but he also feels some compassion for lost boys who fall into a shadowy reality unrecognizable to others. Delvin’s reflection on Logan illustrates the dangers of isolation and echo chambers. His observation emphasizes how individuals can become entrenched in harmful ideologies and radicalization.

“Her father used to say they belonged to a ‘silent majority’ that represented the best of America. Now Melody was beginning to wonder if there might be a much bigger group who’d been holding their tongues—people who minded their own business until push came to shove. It was starting to look like the book-banning business may have shoved them a step too far.”

Melody’s realization about the silent majority highlights the awakening of discontent in the community. Melody was an early supporter of Lula’s book ban. As the mayor’s wife, she held a prominent social position and felt it was her civic duty to protect the community from “radical” ideas. After her husband’s disgrace, Melody loses her social status and begins to view Troy through a different lens. She is no longer one of the elite and begins noticing the people who have been disapproving of Lula’s antics.

“What turned a kid who would stick up for an outcast into a man who was planning to kill half of this town—my own mother included? And what are we going to do to stop other disturbed young men from turning into monsters? Even if you don’t give a damn about them as people, your safety—all of our safety—depends on the answer.”

Lindsey is thinking about the man Logan became and the reasons for his transformation. Just as Dr. Chokshi earlier warned that Troy’s failure to reckon with the outside world would carry a steep price for the town’s future healthcare, Lindsey is saying the same thing. She isn’t trying to arouse altruism in her fellow citizens. Rather, she is pragmatically appealing to their interests. If they choose to continue ignoring the dangerous people in their midst—represented here as “disturbed young men”—their very lives may be in peril.

“I’d lost faith in this town. I thought it was filled with people like Lula and Nathan Dugan. But you, Bella, and the Wright boys helped me see that there are plenty of good folks around here. They just haven’t been shouting as loud as the others.”

Delvin’s comment here echoes an earlier observation Melody made about the silent majority. People like Lula, who do all the talking, distract the community from those people who mind their own business and try to do good in small ways. Delvin stresses the importance of community in this quote. Only when the silent majority starts talking to one another does he realize that he isn’t alone.

“None of the books you banned contain propaganda or pornography. You took them out of the libraries because they told truths people like you and Nathan Dugan don’t want told. But I have faith in the people of Troy. I think we are good enough to see where our ancestors went wrong.”

Beverly makes this statement as she argues with Lula on the church steps. Her comment indicates a democratic perspective that contrasts with Lula’s authoritarianism. Beverly trusts the people of Troy to know what is right. Lula assumes they must have a strong leader who will tell them what is right. Again, the novel juxtaposes the rigid values of the past with those of a more accepting, equitable future.

“‘Y’all want to know how to tell if you’ve been a good parent?’ Moxie asked the crowd. ‘It’s real easy. If you have a family that loves each other and children who want to spend time with you, then you’ve been a good parent.’”

Lula has been successful in her book-ban crusade by insisting that she is protecting the children of Troy from corruption. She appeals to their parents, who equate censorship with good parenting. Ironically, Lula has been a terrible parent, as Moxie’s quote indicates. The twins fled Troy and stayed as far away from her as possible. However, the novel offers Lula a chance at salvation once she abandons her restrictive crusade. The story ends with Lula happily reuniting with her children in Atlanta.

“Why are you letting a bunch of old Greek men tell you what a hero ought to be? They’ll have you thinking you got to go to war and kill people to prove yourself. Women have always known better than that. Most of us get what we want without slaughtering anyone.”

Nahla’s grandmother gives her this advice after the girl complains about the exclusively male military heroes in the Iliad. To a great extent, Lula’s book ban is a descendant of the same militaristic ethos. She wants to be a hero in Troy and believes that she must conquer all dissent to make that possible. The Lost Cause myth itself is based on the glorification of a failed military campaign. By the end of the novel, Nahla learns that there are many other ways to prove one’s heroism.