And Then, Boom!

Throughout the novel, storm-related imagery is often used to describe Joey’s mother, who stands as a deeply unpredictable and destructive force in the protagonist’s life. Just as his mother’s legal troubles initially lead to the loss of the Gingerbread House, the tornado in the novel’s climactic scene destroys Joey’s mobile home and catapults him unto utter chaos, standing as the culmination of his precarious life circumstances. Thus, the tornado is both a literal and symbolic force that functions as a metaphor for Joey’s mother and the emotional chaos she brings into his life. 

Long before it finally appears in truth, the tornado itself is foreshadowed throughout the novel. Several characters mention storm preparations, and Nick explicitly warns Joey that everyone must run to the shelter if a storm comes. Likewise, Grandmum reminds him to grab the accordion folder of important documents if there is ever a storm. The threat of a storm looms over Joey, foreshadowing an irresistible, external force that will one day upend his life. Joey also associates this image with the unpredictability and destruction that his