The Book Woman's Daughter

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-8

Chapters 9-16

Chapters 17-24

Chapters 25-32

Chapters 33-39

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Symbols & Motifs

Nature

Nature is a symbol that appears throughout the novel. People of rural Kentucky are deeply connected with the land on which they live. The Appalachian Mountains are characterized and anthropomorphized (made human-like) as an old woman: “ol’ Kentucky hills [...] breath of grandmother mountains sweet on our face” (195). The land is a symbol of a sweet grandmother. Honey, who faces discrimination in town, feels “safe in woods” (121). This develops the grandmother symbolism to include forests as a source of safety.

“The Blues” specifically are associated with nature to symbolize how they are natural. “Othering” describes people who are different as unnatural, and Honey and her family are treated as such within the larger community spaces. However, Richardson clearly aligns Honey and her family with nature. Most of the rural Kentucky community relies on nature for safety, survival, and comfort, and “the Blues” even more so. Honey and Mama’s allies also view them as natural and beautiful. The doctor calls Honey’s Mama “Bluet “because “Mama was a fit girl who could turn as blue as the familiar bluet damselfly skinning the Kentucky creek beds when she was born” (179). Here, a blue skin tone is associated with beautiful damselflies. Tom, the son of the librarian Mr. Taft, also uses nature symbolism to describe Honey’s Mama: “‘My folks always said our Maker saved his favorite color for our wonderful Book Woman.’ Tom pointed upward to the blue skies” (210). This passage associates the skin of “the Blues” with the beautiful sky.

Animal Companions

Animal companions serve as motifs that develop all of the themes in The Book Woman’s Daughter. Animals are given names and important roles in the plot. Honey’s mother teaches her to “Look at the beast, the bird, the wild dog, the critters, and listen closely because God spent all their might on the ears so they would have protection. And that safeguard is what ensures ours” (25). Junia, Honey’s Mama’s mule, protects Honey in various ways. Junia protected Honey from other animals when she was younger. She also passes noxious gas when the racist social worker Mrs. Wallace tries to grab Honey to take her to the House of Reform, which forces Mrs. Wallace to back away. This contributes to the theme of battling Othering and Sexism in Rural Kentucky. Furthermore, Junia helps Honey win her emancipation. Judge Norton tells Honey that getting books from her mother “and that old, cranky mule” changed his life (307). Junia is part of The Function of Books for the judge in charge of Honey’s freedom.

Another important animal companion is Tommie, Wrenna’s pet rooster. He protects his “Hens,” in this case “Wrenna and Bonnie, Tommie’s hens” (267). Wrenna and Bonnie encourage Tommie to attack Gillis after he physically assaults and harasses them. This develops the theme of Othering and Sexism in Rural Kentucky, as well as the theme of The Role of Female Friendship. Bonnie and Wrenna develop a friendship through the rooster, which helps them find justice outside of sexist legal systems and officers of the law.

Food

Food is an important symbol throughout the novel. In her Note from the Author, Richardson says, “Appalachian meals are an intimate celebratory tradition and the very breath of the region and its people [...] food is church” (315). Food is frequently given as a gift that expresses gratitude, such as when Pearl bakes a “loaf of fresh bread” for Honey (115). This expresses Pearl’s thankfulness for Honey giving her a place to stay after the fire tower was vandalized. Honey’s family also stocked her grandparents’ cabin with a great deal of food, ensuring that Honey can feed herself decent meals and showcasing their self-sustainability. Honey gives leathered fruit treats from her vast array of food to Pearl as an expression of their friendship. Millie, Doc’s wife, insists on feeding Honey as much as possible because she thinks Honey is too skinny, even though she and Honey cannot communicate verbally.

Honey also gives gifts of food to Junia to show her appreciation for all that the animal does for her, tying food into the motif of animal companions (226). Additionally, Bonnie and Wrenna throw seeds for the rooster Tommie at Gillis, which in part leads to Tommie’s attack (and Gillis’s subsequent death).