Winter’s Bone: Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis

The snow finally lets up near dusk. Harold and Sonny cough and sniffle, sick with colds. Ree reprimands them for not wearing their hats out in the snow. Connie, in a brief moment of lucidity, tells Ree that there is some whiskey in her bedroom closet; she tells her to mix it with honey and feed it to the boys. There is then a knock at the door, and Ree greets her cousin, Sonya, who is carrying a large box filled with venison, cans of food, and sundry goods. Sonya is Blond Milton’s wife, and he once cheated on her with Connie—together, they had Sonny. Sonya tells Ree that she “hasn’t forgot” her, her mother, and her brothers. She gives Ree the food, and offers to bring over some additional split wood as well.

Sonya asks Ree what the deputy was doing up at the house earlier, and Ree tells her that he was hunting for Jessup. Sonya tells Ree that she doesn’t know of Jessup’s whereabouts. Sonya leaves, and Ree and her brothers sort through the box of goods, which is full of groceries. Ree tells her brothers that she’ll be cooking deer stew, and that they should stay in the kitchen with her and start to learn how to make it themselves.