The Book Woman's Daughter

As Honey waits outside the courthouse for Mr. Morgan, she watches Wrenna, her rooster, Bonnie, and Gillis. Bonnie feeds Tommie seeds, who tosses them at Gillis. Gillis, irritated and mocked by his coworkers, goes after the bird, but can’t catch it: He is only able to pull out a tail feather. Bonnie throws more seeds, and the bird cuts into Gillis’s legs. He hits the bird, Bonnie smacks him, and he hits Bonnie. Wrenna makes a sound that means hens are in danger, and the rooster attacks Gillis’s face and neck, causing him to bleed heavily. Bonnie and Wrenna exchange a look. Wrenna calls the rooster back and walks off, leaving Gillis moaning on his knees. Mr. Morgan arrives and ushers Honey—who is stunned by the blood—into the courthouse.

Honey waits in the courtroom. Mr. Morgan discovers that the judge has to cover for another judge and that her emancipation hearing must be rescheduled. Mr. Morgan also heard Tommie might have hit Gillis’s jugular; he is in the hospital, but his condition is uncertain. Honey tells Mr. Morgan everything she knows about Gillis and his family. Mr. Morgan goes back inside and has Honey wait for him in the hall.

When he returns, they get in his car. He explains as they drive that the state police are meeting them at the Gillis cabin. Mr. Morgan also called Honey’s Papa, who is in isolation from the polio outbreak. A vaccine is in development. Papa is in position to get a job as groundskeeper for the warden when the outbreak has passed.

At the cabin, policemen with a warrant pull Gillis’s sister and his son aside and search for Guyla Belle. Honey tells a sergeant what she told Mr. Morgan about Gillis. The officers do not find Guyla Belle, but Johnnie, her son, tells Honey to “save mama well” (264). The police break the concrete cover Gillis had put on the well, revealing a corpse. They have Honey identify it—it is Guyla Belle’s body. She vomits, and Mr. Morgan gives her a handkerchief. He explains that Gillis will be arrested for murder and Johnnie will probably live with relatives. She asks about Wrenna’s rooster, and Mr. Morgan assures her that there will be no punishment. He warns Honey to lay low and to watch out for the people who will harm her based on her skin color.

Honey has nightmares about Tommie, Gillis, and legal troubles. She tries homemade herbal tea, but still struggles to sleep. When she visits Emma, they talk about Wrenna and Tommie never being at home. Emma notices Honey looks tired, and asks if it is from sex or just insomnia. When she learns it’s insomnia, Emma gives Honey “gum opium” to chew small pieces from before bed (270). This helps Honey sleep.

When she visits the outpost, Honey finds a letter from Mr. Morgan. It says her next emancipation hearing is scheduled for June 12. Honey works hard, adding more patrons on her book route, and tries to avoid Gillis’s people. She visits Bonnie, who compliments the headstone Honey picked out for Retta and the earrings Pearl loaned her. She also praises Honey for helping the police find Guyla Belle’s body. Bonnie mentions that Gillis’s punch knocked out one of her teeth, and that the miners have stopped harassing her, thinking that she trained Tommie to attack Gillis. Also, Bonnie got a better job in the mine.

The weather improves in May, but Honey still does not see Wrenna at Emma’s. She stops by Doc’s house on her route, and he gives her a letter from Mama. Doc says Mama’s health has improved, she has a good job in prison, and the governor is working on an early release for her. Honey is thrilled that she will see Mama in January. Doc gives Honey some food, and she asks about Gillis. Doc has heard he lost his eyesight, hired a lawyer, and hopes to make bail.

Honey is concerned about Gillis as she rides into the woods. She reads her mother’s letter to Junia. Mama has been appointed the position of prison librarian and is proud of Honey’s librarian job.

As Honey is writing letters to her parents, she hears Junia braying outside. She pulls out her gun, but discovers it is Pearl riding up to the cabin. Pearl tells Honey that Gillis died of an infection. Honey invites her in for dinner. They talk about Pearl fighting more fires now that people are out camping in the woods. R.C. set up a new trapdoor and rope ladder for her, but Pearl—like Honey—is suffering from nightmares. They hug and discuss recent events, like Guyla’s death, Honey’s parents, and the arrival of Pearl’s gun. Pearl invites Honey to meet her mother when she visits in July. Honey is glad to have strong women in her life.

Honey and Pearl ride around the woods. Honey shows her various residences and tells her about the people who live there. Pearl tells Honey to keep the earrings when Honey offers to return them. Honey thanks her and shows her some herbs, explaining what they are used for. As Honey is pointing out another Pack Horse librarian’s home, they find one of Wrenna’s library books on the ground. Honey discovers Wrenna and Tommie in a nearby bush. Wrenna threatens the young women with the rooster, making Junia nervous. They try to explain that Gillis is dead and they are on Wrenna’s side. Wrenna tells them how Gillis beat her and runs off, not understanding that he is dead.

In June, Honey arrives at the courthouse for her emancipation hearing. Pearl and Francis also arrive to support her. Devil John wishes her good luck, but does not go inside the courthouse with the others. Inside, Alonzo is there, sober and clean, in support of Honey. They see the sheriff and the social worker, Mrs. Wallace, in the courthouse. Mr. Morgan arrives and tells Honey to tell the truth.

Judge Norton arrives and begins the hearing. He asks the state, represented by Mrs. Wallace, to state why Honey should not be emancipated. Mrs. Wallace refers to her parents’ violation of “miscegenation laws,” calls all “Blues” criminals, and once again calls Honey “it” instead of “she.” When the judge asks for proof that Honey herself has broken any laws, the opposing lawyer, Mr. Vessels, tells the judge how Devil John, Pearl, and Honey lied to Mrs. Wallace and the sheriff. Over Mr. Morgan’s objections, Vessels states that Gillis claims Honey giving The Awakening to Guyla Belle destroyed his marriage. The judge says these examples contain no real evidence of any crime and asks if there is any more real evidence.

Vessels then says, according to the sheriff, Honey got drunk with Pearl and set the fire watchtower’s cab on fire. Mr. Morgan asks Honey about this in a whisper, and she admits to drinking. The judge asks Honey about this. She testifies that Gillis and Robbie set the fire, but again admits to drinking. The judge says he’s inclined to deny the emancipation application based on this new evidence. Mr. Morgan asks to offer more evidence, and the judge calls a recess. Mr. Morgan goes off to talk with R.C. and others.

Honey watches Mr. Morgan talk to people in the courtroom and fears she is going to prison. When the judge returns, Mr. Morgan calls three character witnesses: Amara, R.C., and Miss Foster. Amara testifies to Honey helping Retta during the end of her life and taking care of the funeral arrangements. Amara also describes what happened in her cabin when she treated Gillis’s son for pneumonia, how Honey saved the boy’s life, and how she helped the police find Guyla Belle’s body. Vessels cross-examines Amara, asking her about the books Honey loaned to her. When the lawyer tries to call the books sexy, Mr. Morgan objects, and the judge orders Vessels to stop adding his own interpretations.

R.C. explains that the girls were sober the day he talked to them. Vessels tries to object, but the judge overrules him. R.C. explains that the sheriff did not help the girls with the fire, nor with the other times Pearl had been harassed. R.C. also testifies to the honorable character of Honey and her family. Vessels does not cross-examine him.

Miss Foster testifies that Honey’s work as a librarian is satisfactory. Vessels asks if the library carries The Awakening. Miss Foster claims to not know if it is in circulation or if it is banned, but testifies that the library does not carry immoral books. Vessels claims that the book was from Honey’s personal collection, Mr. Morgan objects, and Vessels says he has no further questions or witnesses. The judge notes that Vessels does not call the sheriff to the stand, which makes him suspect the sheriff is not innocent.

Judge Norton asks Honey if she has anything to say. Honey says that Mr. Morgan told her about the child bride law in Kentucky. Honey explains how she lives alone, keeps a tidy house, and cares for Junia, her mother’s mule, as they work her Mama’s old Pack Horse route. Then, Honey shows the judge her paystubs. She asks why, if she is old enough to marry, is she not old enough to work a respectable job and support herself? Honey asks for the freedom to not get married.

The judge grants her application for emancipation. When he calls her and Mr. Morgan to the bench, he explains that Mama helped him become a better person by becoming a reader. The judge also remembers Junia from his childhood, and he asks Honey to reserve the latest Hardy Boys novel for him. Francis, mouthing the question from the back of the courtroom, asks Honey to go out with him. She agrees. Pearl comes up to her, saying they should celebrate. Miss Foster gives her a book of poetry by Tagore—a gift from Mr. Taft. She apologizes for believing the sheriff’s lies about Honey. Bonnie comes into the courtroom, over the objections about her miner’s attire, and congratulates Honey.

The book ends with Honey reading Mr. Taft’s inscription in the book of poetry and thinking about how books give people freedom.