How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Maybe it was because they had never celebrated Thanksgiving before. For a piercing instant, Dicey longed for Momma to be with them, sitting on the other side of Sammy, to complete the picture. That was the trouble with being happy, it made you remember other things. (8.174)
Gram’s home will always remind Dicey of her home with Momma, especially when they celebrate family occasions in a warm and familiar place. It would be hard to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at home knowing your mom was in a mental hospital alone.
Quote #8
"It’s Thanksgiving," James reminded him. James had finished a thin slice of lattice-topped cherry pie and was about to begin on the dark chocolate sliver. "On Thanksgiving, families stay at home." (8.197)
Things are a lot simpler for the younger kids than they are for Dicey. They’re a family, and they’re at home. But Dicey knows that home and family can be complicated and temporary. She's always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Quote #9
They sang together: "Someone beckons me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world, any mo-ore." (8.362)
Mina and Jeff are just singing a hymn, but when you think about the call of mental illness as being similar to the call of heaven, Dicey’s take on this hymn could be a lot darker. It's as if they're singing to her about her mom.