Previous
Chapter 41
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
When Honey is a week old, Cussy Mary takes her to Miss Loretta’s home. Miss Loretta isn’t prepared for the visit, and she chides Cussy for having missed recent weeks. When Cussy introduces Honey—the reason she hasn’t been around—Miss Loretta is delighted. Cussy has come to ask if Miss Loretta will watch the babe while she is on her route. Miss Loretta is more than happy to oblige. Because she’s too proud to accept payment, Cussy plans to pay Doc to take care of her eyes. Spectacles could give her back her eyesight.
Becoming a mother to Honey compromises Cussy Mary’s highly valued independence. In order to keep her library route, she must accept and ask for help. Cussy Mary and Miss Loretta are interdependent. Neither’s autonomy is disturbed by their arrangement, but it’s mutually beneficial to both: Cussy gets care for Honey, and Miss Loretta will get necessary medical attention.
Themes
