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Chapter 22
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Kind, Kindness, and Discrimination
The Power of Books
Hardship and Humanity
Change and Modernization
Autonomy and Interdependence
Summary
Analysis
R.C. Cole is thrilled to see Cussy Mary on Wednesday morning, dancing with excitement to get a reply from his girlfriend’s father. But he’s crushed when the letter informs him that he’s not good enough for Ruth Beck. Her father wants her to have an honorable, proper provider, like a coal miner. He refuses to allow her to marry anyone in the “We Poke Along” program, as some people call the WPA. Cussy knows that there are many local men too proud to accept “charity” to erect outhouses, build roads, or construct bridges on the government’s payroll, and they would rather starve instead. R.C. declares that he won’t let Ruth go, and he takes off down the mountain path, headed for town to get her. Cussy only knows about romance from books, but she still cheers R.C. on.
Mr. Beck’s dislike of the WPA program is representative of the distrust many people in this corner of Kentucky have over the intrusion of the government and the changes of modernity. Yet, in light of the greed and inhumanity of the coal company, Mr. Beck’s preference for coal miners (of which he is one) is shortsighted. The coal company takes and abuses, while the WPA is adding value and important resources to the community. Displaying the strong autonomous streak that characterizes the rural Kentuckians in the book, R.C. refuse to take Mr. Beck’s no for an answer.
Themes
