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Chapter 22
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in This Tender Land, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Family, Community, and Home
Hardship, Injustice, and Compassion
God, Fate, and Choice
Coming of Age and Personal Growth
Storytelling, Music, and Hope
Acceptance and Forgiveness
Summary
Analysis
After a short discussion, the group decides to investigate the beautiful voice. Across a meadow, they see a large tent at the edge of a nearby town. Albert says it must be a revival. Odie, Emmy, and Mose want to shelter in the tent and see if the people there are handing out food. Albert agrees, as long as Emmy wears her hat. Inside, the tent is well-lit and lined with two rows of benches. A redhaired woman (Sister Eve) is singing hymns on a stage, and the benches are nearly full with townsfolk. Odie sits with Emmy, smelling chicken soup. The woman preaches about hope in times of loss and the love of God.
Christian revivals were common occurrences during the Great Depression in America. Frequently hosted in tents, these services featured worship, miracles of healing, and converting new followers. They also sometimes drew people in with charity and food, especially during the Depression years. The popularity of Sister Eve’s revival shows that she is meeting a communal need for faith and hope during hard times.
Themes
Someone asks the woman—Sister Eve—for a sign. A man brings forth his son, whose back is crooked. Sister Eve asks if the boy believes in God’s love and prays for his back to be healed. To Odie’s astonishment, the boy straightens up. A voice from the back calls out “Bullshit!” Four drunk young men enter the tent, mocking Sister Eve and making lewd remarks. Sister Eve approaches one of them and takes his hand. She tells the man his mother’s death was not his fault and offers to take away his burden. The young man weeps and says he believes in God’s forgiveness before leaving the tent. Sister Eve invites the congregation to share a meal of chicken soup.
The request for a sign highlights a communal desire for proof of God’s existence and his love. Sister Eve’s assertion that only belief in God can heal people hints at her humility, but the astonishing miracle she appears to perform suggests she has powers of her own. Eve’s interaction with the drunk young man is even more compelling—she not only converts his skepticism to belief, but she also seems to see into his past. Astonished by the service, Odie seems captivated by Eve and the implications of her relationship with God. By feeding the congregation, Eve meets a significant physical need, which suggests genuine generosity.
Themes
