The Book Woman's Daughter

“The critters will teach you something new each day.”

Honey talks to Pearl as they ride to the watchtower and encounter a bird protecting its nest. This bird in their path upsets the mule Junia, which causes a delay. The animal’s discomfort foreshadows how the fire tower has been vandalized, developing the motif of animal companions.

“Don’t take much for a Blue, I remember Mama telling Papa when she thought I was out of earshot.”

Honey considers the discrimination that is faced by “the Blues,” or people with methemoglobinemia. This quote from her mother is repeated several times throughout the novel, emphasizing its importance. It is part of the theme of Othering and Sexism in Rural Kentucky—"Blues” are subject to harsher scrutiny than white people.

“She always said the printed word could soften the hardest of hardened hearts.”

Here, Honey considers how the librarian Miss Foster eventually warmed to her mother, even though they initially did not get along. In the theme of The Function of Books, one function is to change people’s feelings, including their feelings about other people. This foreshadows later events in the story, such as Honey successfully becoming emancipated in part because her mother delivered books to the judge.

“I recall Cussy telling me you write some fine poetry. You must because you have excellent taste in reading material.”

Here, the librarian Miss Foster discusses another Function of Books: to teach people how to write. She connects Honey’s composition of poetry with the books she reads. This develops Honey’s character as not only a reader, but also a writer.

“By the time I’d escaped her nervous chatter and critical eye, I realized halfway to the courthouse I’d left behind the matching gloves she’d sewn.”

This passage is about Honey’s custody hearing. Retta, her soon-to-be guardian, sewed her a dress with gloves for the court date, in order to disguise Honey’s blue hands. This need to disguise a difference develops the theme of Othering and Sexism in Rural Kentucky.

“The men gathered around the fresh-dug grave and took off their caps and bowed their heads as Mr. Payne recited Corinthians 15:51-57.”

During Retta’s funeral, the theme of The Function of Books is developed by the use of the Bible. It is Retta’s favorite book and one that is familiar to all the gravediggers. Religious books, like the Bible, help organize rituals surrounding death, as well as other important moments in life.

“Your only duty is to get the reading material into the hands of anyone wanting it.”

This is what the librarian Miss Foster tells Honey when she hires her for the job of Pack Horse librarian. Books are how Honey gains employment, as well as how she helps her community become more educated and entertained. These are just a few of the Functions of Books discussed in the novel.

“Spreading literacy is quite an important job. Respectable. A big responsibility, too, in these hills.”

Honey’s lawyer, Mr. Morgan, shares this opinion of her librarian job. It becomes an important part of her legal battle for emancipation, developing the theme of The Function of Books. Part of Honey’s battle is against the attempted defamation of her character; her work as a librarian grants her a strong advantage, granting her maturity and intelligence.

“I couldn’t help thinking about how my papa would’ve set the candle for Carson, and I dared compare it to Francis, worried why fathers around these parts still did this to their daughters. Studied on why men decided it all.”

Here, Honey considers the laws and customs surrounding child brides. These are part of systemic Sexism in Rural Kentucky. Men create and enforce these laws, which dictate that fathers have control over who their underage daughters marry.

“Sure is nourishment for the soul.”

Devil John’s wife, Martha Hannah, describes books in this way. The novel presents different Functions of Books using the perspectives of a variety of characters. Here, Honey has delivered “some children’s books […] a Sports Afield for Devil John and Woman’s Day” (138), as well as “some pamphlets from the health department and the latest flyer from the Company store” (139). This wide variety showcases not only the different needs and interests of Martha Hannah and those with her, but also the many forms in which a love of reading can manifest.

“‘Junia gets fussy with the menfolks unless she knows them.’ ‘Smart girl.’”

This exchange between Honey and Amara develops the animal companion motif. The mule does not like men, due to the Sexism in Rural Kentucky that she has witnessed. Amara, the frontier nurse, has also witnessed sexism, specifically domestic violence, which makes her wary of men.

“She’s concerned about you not eating enough, and I told her not to tease you.”

Millie, the Doc’s wife, speaks to him in Swedish, and he translates their exchange for Honey. This passage highlights how food symbolizes well-being. Sharing food is also a part of community service, like church. Food brings people together many times throughout the novel and often represents characters showing affection or caring for each other.

“Except for the photograph with Retta, there were no pictures of our family, nary a one, and I suspected it was because of the humiliation over our rare color.”

Honey is touched when the mother of her crush, Mrs. Moore, gives her a photograph: Honey’s grandfather and her own father together. Honey’s suspicions about the absence of photographs develop the theme of Othering and Sexism in Rural Kentucky. “The Blues” dislike their coloring because it causes people to treat them as sub-human.

“I studied the strong weed. How it always survived, even against the forces of man and steel. I resisted plucking it up, knowing it would seed year after year, and I bent over, ran a finger over the yellow head, praying that Guyla Belle had the same strength to survive his beatings.”

Honey finds a daffodil in the concrete cover of Gillis’s well. This is an example of dramatic irony—later, the corpse of Guyla Belle is found in the well that Honey prays over, a victim of Othering and Sexism in Rural Kentucky. This passage also alludes to the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which discusses plants coming out of concrete.

“I watched as Francis counted out Company scrip to the miner in return, knowing in the end, King Coal owned the Kentucky working man.”

This passage speaks to the character of Appalachia, where most of the employment opportunities are in the mines. Men are regularly injured and killed in the mines. While they are the ones to suffer the harshest consequences of the work, they do not share in the profits of the big coal companies.

“I smiled sheepishly, deeply embarrassed by my outburst, worried I would lose her friendship, my sister.”

Honey and Pearl have their first negative interaction, and Honey, overwhelmed with stress, snaps at Pearl. Honey fears losing their connection and quickly apologizes, as does Pearl. The Role of Female Friendship is extremely important to Honey as a source of emotional support, as well as physical protection; Pearl also clearly values her relationship with Honey, as the two join forces to care for and protect each other all throughout the novel.

“Slipping an arm around my shoulder, she leaned her head against mine and we wept quietly, our cries drifting up into the scarred, cragged bones of grandmother mountains.”

After Gillis and Robbie try to burn Pearl and Honey inside the fire tower, the sheriff will not help them: Pearl and Honey thus can only rely on each other for protection and comfort. The Role of Female Friendship—to support one another in this time of crisis—is connected with the symbolism of nature. Nature is also described as a female friend: a grandmother who is part of their emotional connection.

“Here I was fighting for my freedom and taking another’s away who imprisoned so many. Maybe now, Bonnie, Pearl, Wrenna, and me would finally be shed of the terrifying grip he’d kept us locked in.”

In this passage, Honey is told that Gillis will be arrested. She contrasts this with her legal battle for emancipation and the social battles of the women Gillis harmed. Gillis’s sexism leads to the death of his wife, but other women come together to be free of him.

“Pearl grabbed me and gave me a tight hug. It felt good to see my friend again, and I returned it heartily, a small sob escaping our breaths.”

This is another example of The Role of Female Friendship in the novel. Honey and Pearl console each other over the death of Gillis’s wife and Gillis himself. They support each other in processing the trauma of his attacks on women, including themselves.

“Lucky children’s moon out today. I just made my wish.”

The children’s moon occurs when the moon remains visible hours after sunrise. It is a part of the nature symbolism that runs throughout the novel. It appears on the day of Honey’s emancipation trial, as a symbol of good luck. It is also a reminder that Honey is, in many ways, still a child, even with all her maturity and her fight for independence.

“Miss Lovett insisted that Mrs. Gillis read a censored and controversial sex-fiction book titled The Awakening by known feminist, Kate Chopin, who supports the disgraceful abandoning of wifely duties and the abandoning of a husband and their children. Miss Lovett did this in hopes that Mrs. Guyla Belle Gillis would do just that.”

The opposing counsel in Honey’s emancipation hearing presents this opinion of The Function of Books. This goes against the many characters who believe books, including Chopin’s novel, are good and moral. The judge does not share this opinion, and it is presented as incorrect in the hearing.

“After all, I was morally indecent, godless, an It, and now a criminal in the state’s eyes.”

Honey being repeatedly called an “it” by the social worker Mrs. Wallace in court is an example of Othering and Sexism in Rural Kentucky. She fears the worst during the recess in her hearing because she admitted to underage drinking. However, the judge dismisses these prejudiced descriptions of Honey and her family, remaining impartial and non-discriminatory. This is a rare show of systemically prejudiced systems siding with Honey rather than against her, though it is still the act of an individual that does not counteract all the harm done by the legal system.

“‘Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.’ As long as you have the books, you’ll always have that light. —Oren Taft”

This is the inscription that the librarian Taft leaves in the rare edition of Tagore’s poetry he gives to Honey. It develops the theme of The Function of Books—they are a light in the dark, or a source of illumination, hope, and faith. The gift is also a sign of support and connection for Honey; Taft gives it to Honey via Miss Foster, who takes the opportunity to apologize to Honey and mend burnt bridges.