Saving Winslow

Nora, a year younger than Louie, is rough around the edges in her brutal honesty and in her raggedy appearance. She wears dirty jeans and clothes that are too big, hiding herself beneath her yellow ski cap. At one point, Louie admits that he does not know what Nora looks like because she is always bundled up. Furthermore, the girl speaks in an honest, yet minimalistic way. From the outset, she tells Louie that Winslow will not survive. Despite this straightforwardness, she often does not say much. The day Winslow is missing, Louie finds her with the donkey and all she says is for him to be quiet because the animal is sleeping. Louie thinks, “It was a maddening thing about Nora, and about most people who did not say much. Louie rarely knew that what they were thinking” (99). Even though Nora speaks what is on her mind, her words are kept to a minimum. Louie longs to know more and is frustrated by her silence but learns to be patient, for eventually Nora will say more.

This reserved demeanor, along with her cynical outlook, is a manifestation of her vulnerability and fear of attachment. Not long after they meet, Nora reveals that her baby brother did not survive a premature birth, and she refuses to hold Winslow: “I don’t see the point of holding that thing if it’s going to die anyway” (32). Nora’s insistence that the donkey will perish opposes Louie’s optimism. When Nora refuses to hold Winslow, she enforces a physical distance. Her fear of attachment is apparent in her actions, as well as her words, for she calls Winslow a “thing” and “it,” trying to separate herself emotionally from the animal. Ultimately, she attempts to protect herself from the devastation she felt when she lost her brother. However, she eventually lets her guard down and bonds with Winslow, only to be hurt by the suggestion that he go back to the farm. She yells, “You get attached to something and it always gets taken away!” (121). Nora articulates why she fears attachment. This trepidation extends to people too, which is manifest in her lingering outside of Louie’s house instead of knocking. One weekend, Louie’s mom says, “Nora is out there again. Why doesn’t she come to the door? Are you supposed to sense that she’s outside?” (67). The woman’s frustration is a result of Nora’s unconventional behavior, her tentativeness to approach the house. Like with Winslow, she hesitates to connect with Louie and his family, the consequence of losing loved ones in the past.

Winslow the donkey is symbolic of both happiness and resilience. Once he gains strength, Winslow is a bundle of energy: “[Louie] returned home and found Winslow standing in his pen, nose pressed against the wire, wagging his fluffy tail like a dog” (59). Tail wagging in dogs is a sign of contentment, so by comparing his action to that of man’s best friend, Louie implies how happy Winslow is. Although the donkey has bonded with Louie and even views the boy like a mother, the animal is content most of the time, even nudging and nuzzling up to Nora who is hesitant to forge a connection with him. This happiness, coupled with his determination to survive against the odds also makes Winslow a symbol of resilience. After enduring a difficult birth, the donkey contracts an infecting that leaves him unable to stand and “breathing shallowly” (45). With the help of Louie, Winslow overcomes the illness and thrives, often annoying neighbors with his jubilant, and protective, braying. On the night of the fire, his incessant neighing alerts Louie that the Tooley’s house is in danger. His perseverance is displayed when he does not stop at merely making noise but leads Louie to the house in question until the boy understands and does something to save Mrs. Tooley and the baby. Through his relationship with Louie, as well as his never-give-up attitude, Winslow represents the dual concepts of joy and resilience.

Gus, Louie’s older brother, is only present through memories and letters, for he is serving in the military. Much older, he is strong, stocky, and athletic, unlike his little brother. Despite these differences, Gus serves as a role model, offering guidance and advice, like how Louie should be patient because he will eventually figure out what he is good at. Gus clearly cares for Louie. In one memory, when Louie is merely a toddler, he wakes in the night, awestruck by the silver moonlight. Scared, he wakes Gus up, and, instead of being angry, the older brother gently explains and leads “Louie to the other side of the house, and there, from a bathroom window, above the roof of the neighbor’s house, a full moon was suspended in the sky” (51). Gus patiently shows Louie the moon, so the youngster understands that what he is seeing is normal. Now, even though Gus is not present, Louie is constantly thinking of his brother and recalling advice and good memories. The older brother still influences his little brother even though he is physically far away.