Content Warning: This section includes discussion of racism, graphic violence, child death, and pregnancy loss.

“If life had taught them anything, it was that a person’s path still could be lit by moments of joy, even after unspeakable loss.”

This passage introduces the importance of Persevering Despite Loss and Trauma. The steadfast tone expresses the grief-stricken yet resolute viewpoint of Ebby’s parents, Ed and Soh. However, the moment is fraught with irony because although they are expecting to witness Ebby’s marriage, Henry’s abandonment of his bride will soon become yet another moment of loss and heartbreak for Ebby.

“‘Most of the trouble in this world boils down to one person not recognizing the worth of another,’ Gramps said. ‘But sometimes, that can be an advantage.’”

This adage, which is first uttered by Ebby’s Grandpa Freeman, becomes a recurring theme in the novel as various characters identify with this sentiment. Throughout the novel, Moses’s assurance that the mind cannot be enslaved is an act of rebellion against the social order that deems his people of less value.

“Surely, she is not the only person holding in a world of hurt that pushes against their skin like water against the walls of a dam.”

This powerful simile strives to capture the true intensity of Ebby’s grief and suppressed trauma. The passage describes the sense of strangeness that Ebby feels at being scrutinized and identified by the tragedies that have happened to her. A defining aspect of her character can also be found in her effort to appear calm and competent despite her hidden anguish. As the events of the novel prove, this sense of inner turmoil is something that many characters share: a vulnerability that unites them.