One Came Home

“Don’t misunderstand me—a funeral is a funeral. Though my sister wasn’t in that pine box, a body lay in it sure enough. Remember, I told myself many times during the reverend’s eulogy, and then as people started shoveling dirt into the hole, that coffined body down there is dead. That’s a d at the beginning and a d at the end. There’s no forward or backward from ‘dead,’ and no breath either—‘dead’ stops a person cold. It does not make that body your sister, but it is sad, sad news.”

These lines from the introductory chapter lay the groundwork for the exploration of death’s finality that persists throughout the novel. Georgie’s observations establish her unique, logical voice as well as the idea that death is always a tragedy. Despite her rational clarity, she refuses to accept Agatha’s death, revealing her need for concrete, irrefutable evidence and highlighting her stubborn nature.

“People from Wisconsin know wild pigeons. Pigeons come every year, but because 1871 was an odd-numbered year, we were expecting greater numbers: pigeons adore black-oak acorns, and black oaks drop acorns every other year. So to put it plainly, Mrs. Finister’s agitation must have meant she’d seen something unusual.

But outside, from my position on the porch, Placid, Wisconsin, looked as it always did: There was Main Street (bakery, blacksmith, three inns, tailor, photographic studio, courthouse, church, and train depot).”

This excerpt from one of Georgie’s memories shows how the wild pigeon migration influences life in Placid. Since the pigeons migrate only every other year, the townspeople know to prepare for the influx of visitors the migration brings. Mrs. Finister’s agitation, coupled with the enormity of the migration shown later in the novel, highlights just how extraordinary the 1871 migration is, hinting at The Inevitability of Change entering Georgie’s predictable world. In addition, Georgie’s final line describes the layout of Placid and reflects her desire for order and predictability.

“‘Sahairy Desert,’ I said.

‘Sa-har-a,’ she said.

‘It looks like “hairy” in the books.’

‘Does not!’ she said.

‘If you read it fast enough, it does! Anyway, you understood what I meant. You just made me say it so you could look well-read. That’s prideful.’”

This discussion between Georgie and Agatha highlights the differences between the girls, especially regarding how they engage with words and knowledge. While Georgie reads, her mispronunciation of the Sahara Desert makes it clear she does so quickly and not as intently.