The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs

“Red Hawk, Coy, and Iron Valley all had dots on the map, but not Sassafras Springs, Missouri. We might as well have been invisible, yet there I was, sitting on the front porch with Pa and Aunt Pretty.”

The above quotation describes Eben’s emotional state early in the narrative. Eben feels “invisible” living in the small and poor community of Sassafras Springs, suggesting his estrangement from his surroundings and his sense of limitation. This reinforces Eben’s desire to travel the world and discover new places, but his character arc will see him Finding a Sense of Place in his own home.

“My mind was a million miles away when suddenly my aunt said, ‘Eben McAllister, you’ve had your nose in that book so long, I forgot what you look like! Wake up and see the world.’”

In keeping with the theme of The Importance of Imagination in Childhood, Eben has an imaginative mind. He nurtures his creative thinking through reading, as books fuel his imagination and desire to “travel” to faraway places. However, Aunt Pretty’s words suggest that Eben is so absorbed by his inner thoughts that he lacks connection to his immediate world. Her statement that he should “wake up and see the world” establishes Eben’s goal in the novel: to bring his imagination to bear on his immediate surroundings. Eben thus embarks on a quest that transforms his perspective and perception of people and the world.

“He had four younger sisters and four younger brothers. The babies were inside with their ma and the oldest girl, Maggie, but the rest of them hung all over Jeb, as usual. You hardly ever saw him without a brother clinging to his leg, a sister riding piggyback, and another one tugging at his back pocket.”

The above passage describing a scene in Jeb’s home highlights children’s hard lives in poor rural communities during the 1920s. Still a child, Jeb must take care of his younger siblings while also working on the farm to help his family survive. This contributes to Jeb’s maturity and pragmatism despite his young age. Jeb envisions a future premised on his duty toward his family and his role as an older brother.

“Folks in Sassafras Springs were usually friendly enough, but they expected their neighbors to mind their own business, which did not include asking about Wonders.”

This quotation emphasizes Eben’s perspective on the adult world. Eben understands that people in his hometown have learned to lead individual lives separate from any sense of community. Eben’s quest for wonders challenges this attitude, developing the theme of Fostering Community Through Storytelling.

“The doll’s a Wonder of the world—maybe not of this world but of the next one. You write that down, Eben McAllister. When I tell you this is a Wonder, you’d better listen. Because just as miracles were worked with loaves and fishes, one was worked through this doll. If anybody says it’s not true, you have them come talk to me.”

The text adds nuance to the wonders motif by connecting it to the motif of Christian faith. Mrs. Pritchard associates “wonders” with a word with overtly religious connotations: “miracles” deriving from God. The reference to “loaves and fishes” is an allusion to the Bible and Jesus Christ’s miracle of feeding the multitude. This highlights the centrality of Christian symbolism in the text, suggesting that faith is key to finding wonder and excitement in life.

“Hey, if you’re looking for something special, we should go down to the Saylor house. A rich person is more likely to have a Wonder than a poor one. Maybe two or three.”

Jeb’s perspective on wonders offers a point of reference for the motif’s meaning. Jeb believes that rich people possess things that are inaccessible to poor people and implies that the former lead happier and more special lives as a result. However, Eben’s journey subverts this idea. Eben understands that Mrs. Saylor’s expensive possessions do not carry any extraordinary meaning that would contribute to his quest. The text emphasizes that people’s lives have inherent value independent of their material possessions.

“‘Still, that there’s a Wonder, ain’t it? A Wonder of the World.’ Cully stared up at his bookcase as if he was seeing it for the first time. ‘Held the secrets of the universe, saved a man’s life…and it’s holding up my house today.’ ‘A Wonder,’ I said. After all, even the Great Pyramid never held up a man’s house. I jotted the story down fast, as rain began beating against the windows of the sagging shack.”

Cully’s story depicts the bookcase, a simple object, as a wonder because of its special history and meaning. The bookcase and similar elements of magical realism symbolize the significance of storytelling and imagination in the text. Ultimately, reading—the bookcase—saved the rainmaker’s life while also aiding Cully by keeping his shack from falling. The story helps Eben realize that wonders can be found in unexpected places.

“‘I don’t see why you’re so fired up about this Wonder thing,’ Jeb said. ‘You’re never really going to see those faraway places.’”

The quotation illuminates Jeb’s character and emphasizes his and Eben’s contrasting viewpoints. Initially, Jeb does not understand his friend’s desire for extraordinary experiences. Jeb has a more pragmatic outlook on the world and accepts the reality of Sassafras Springs. Throughout the course of the story, though, Eben’s quest influences Jeb to engage in the search for wonders.

“I perked up at the word ‘marvel.’ A marvel was like a Wonder. Could Mr. Smiley’s musical saw be a genuine Wonder of Sassafras Springs? ‘Like a Wonder of the World?’ I asked eagerly. ‘Eben, you’ll have to decide that for yourself,’ said Calvin. ‘I don’t know about the world. To me, what happened with this saw wasn’t merely amazing. It was a miracle.’”

Throughout the story, Eben ponders over the meaning of wonders. His encounter with Calvin is an early lesson on this point. Calvin emphasizes that identifying wonders depends on one’s outlook on life. Calvin urges Eben to use his own creative mind and decide what a “wonder” is or is not. The quotation develops the wonders motif, indicating that Eben must change his perspective to find wonder in the world.

“Sassafras Springs used to be even quieter than it is now. When the moon was a sliver, it was dark as a pocket outside. Not many lights, not many people. It was a lonely place. Folks had more time to gossip, too. It didn’t take long for word to spread that there was a ‘haint’ in the graveyard. A haint is what the old-timers called a ghost.”

The quotation contains elements of the magical realism represented in several of the embedded stories within the main narrative. The fairytale-like stories render Sassafras Springs a place of wonder and excitement. Such elements emphasize the importance of imagination in childhood. The stories reinforce Eben’s imagination and creativity and transform his perspective on the town.

“I half expected to see a faceless fellow wearing long johns or a table all laid out for dinner as we passed through the graveyard, but all I saw were butterflies flitting around the tombstones, especially the one with the purple and pink flowers all around it. I squinted my eyes, MARY HAYNES FITZGERALD, the marker read. I should have known it. Some of the flowers were violets. During the service, when Calvin played ‘Amazing Grace,’ I could hear that cloud of bugs buzzing toward Sassafras Springs. In Sunday school I tried hard not to see Miss Zeldy in my mind.”

This quotation suggests Eben’s growing connection to his hometown. Eben thinks of the places and people around him through the lens of his community’s storytelling; as he recalls the extraordinary scenes of the stories, places like the church take on a different meaning for him. The visual imagery that characterizes Eben’s thoughts indicates the impact of the stories on his inner world.

“I’d been had and I should have known better. I was probably the only person in Sassafras Springs, except for Violet Rowan, who knew the Great Pyramid was in Egypt, not India like he’d said. And that thing about Santy Claus waving, well, like I said, I’d been had.”

Eben feels disappointed by Coogie’s story, feeling deceived. However, despite his doubts, Eben was willing to listen to him due to his desire for stories. This emphasizes the importance of imagination in childhood, as it demonstrates that children find sustenance in storytelling. Coogie invents the story as a joke for Eben, but he also finds excitement in the tale.

“I stared at the dusty bottle. The tiny ship inside didn’t impress me much. ‘I know how they do it,’ I bragged. ‘They collapse the boat, stick it in the bottle, and pull it up again with a string. It’s a trick, not a Wonder.’ ‘Eben McAllister, are you dumb as a post? This isn’t some regular old ship in a bottle. This is a real live ship with a cargo of pure and terrible evil!’ Rae Ellen’s eyes widened as she paused.”

Rae Ellen’s story also provides elements of magical realism. She is the only child who offers a “wonder” to Eben, indicating that she also finds excitement in imaginative stories. The story resembles a childhood fairytale and ultimately reinforces reciprocity between the two children: While Eben dismisses her bottle as a “trick,” Rae Ellen convinces him of its value, Fostering Community Through Storytelling.

“Five Wonders, or even six, weren’t worth a thing. I’d uncovered some amazing things, but I’d stirred up some trouble as well. I wasn’t certain if I could find two other Wonders, and I didn’t know if I wanted to try anyway. I drew up a map of Sassafras Springs and marked off all the farms and houses I knew of.”

The quotation illustrates Eben’s emotional fluctuations during his quest. Eben often doubts his ability to discover wonders in his hometown but perseveres. His decision to draw a map of Sassafras Springs suggests his need to reconnect with the town. The image of the map suggests the importance of belonging and emphasizes that finding a sense of place is central to Eben’s journey.

“Jeb had talked to Coogie about me? I guess he was still my best friend, even if he didn’t understand about exploring and Wonders and such.”

Despite Eben’s initial disappointment with Jeb, the boy proves his friendship. Jeb realizes that finding wonders is important to his friend and resolves to help him, urging other children to join. Jeb’s change of attitude emphasizes how Eben’s quest impacts the children in the community, sparking their creativity and imagination. The quotation also indicates that friendship is key to Eben’s bonding with the community.

“If you ever want to learn about your neighbors, just go asking them for Wonders. You’ll learn more than any census or government survey will ever tell you.”

The quotation emphasizes the theme of fostering community through storytelling. Eben’s quest for wonders becomes a formative experience that helps him understand his hometown and the people around him: His search for extraordinary things reveals the character of the community. The people Eben encounters are also influenced by Eben’s quest, recalling their own childhood stories, which further underscores the connections that have formed.

“‘Sometimes you can have a Wonder right under your nose,’ he said. ‘But if you don’t know the meaning of it, it’s worthless.’”

The novel conveys a nuanced understanding of the idea of “wonders.” This quotation from Mayor Peevey suggests that Eben must learn to recognize the meaning and value of wonders to find real excitement in life, underscoring how Eben’s consciousness grows over the course of his quest. His encounters with people in his community and their stories offer him valuable lessons that define this transformation.

“Old Emma handed Buddy the cloth and told him to keep it always so he wouldn’t forget. And the Wonder of it all isn’t that the word appeared here or that his pa didn’t beat him. The Wonder is that Buddy never did anything bad to anybody again. He spent every day since then trying to help folks. Now that, my boy, is a Wonder that’s higher than your highest pyramid and deeper than your deep blue seas. That is a Wonder of Sassafras Springs.”

The quotation provides a life lesson to Eben. Mayor Peevey suggests that a person’s transformation can be an extraordinary event. As a child, the mayor enjoyed tricking people, but he changed after realizing that helping others is more worthwhile. The quotation emphasizes how the meanings of wonders are bound by characters’ life stories.

“My voice came back. ‘Maybe they weren’t Wonders after all.’ I hadn’t figured out how an applehead doll measured up to a pyramid or how a musical saw stacked up to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.”

Eben experiences a crisis after his trip to Colorado is canceled. Eben’s disappointment makes him doubt that his discoveries are extraordinary, which suggests that Eben has not yet completed his journey of connecting to his immediate world and understanding the real meaning of wonders.

“I sat there, thinking about the Wonders as the evening shadows settled over the barnyard. A doll. A bookcase. A saw. A table. A ship in a bottle. A woven cloth. They were all as unimpressive and ordinary as Sassafras Springs, yet each in its own way was a one-of-a-kind marvel.”

Eben finds support from his father and aunt. Sharing the stories he has collected with his family, Eben reveals unknown and forgotten details about the community that amaze them. Eben comes closer to the end of his journey as he realizes that simple things can have extraordinary value and provide meaning in people’s lives.

“I swallowed hard. I’d said often enough that I’d get out of Sassafras Springs some day. Seeing myself walking down that road with no one stopping me made me feel kind of funny inside. Glad and sad and kind of lonely.”

Eben completes his journey to finding a sense of place. The wooden carving of the town emphasizes Sassafras Springs as a symbol of home and belonging. The “magical” depiction of past, present, and future in the miniature illustrates the multiple life stories within the community that have shaped Eben’s character. As Eben sees his future self leaving town, he has a bittersweet feeling that emphasizes his new understanding of home.

“Eben, there are two kinds of folks: those who are satisfied right where they are and those with an itch to see the rest of the world. If you’re the kind who’s got to go, then get going. Even if you don’t, now that you’ve found seven Wonders, I’ll bet you’ll be noticing new ones every day.”

Uncle Alf’s wisdom helps Eben realize the true meaning of wonders. While Eben longed to explore the world, Uncle Alf indicates that finding excitement and wonder depends on a person’s perspective on life. No matter where Eben is in the world, he must learn to see the wonder in everyday life to achieve happiness.

“So there it was: St. Louis, Missouri! There had to be some Wonders of the World there. Why, they’d already had a World’s Fair…and there were tall buildings and a zoo, museums and cathedrals and even the mighty, muddy Mississippi River, with a famous bridge across it. A fellow who’d been to St. Louis would never be the same again!”

In the end, Eben embarks on a trip outside his hometown that signifies a new beginning for him. While Eben still desires to see the world, his outlook on life has transformed. Eben is focused on the process of finding joy and awe wherever he is rather than on visiting a specific destination. The quotation illustrates his growth and signifies the completion of his journey.