Epigraphs are like little appetizers to the great entrée of a story. They illuminate important aspects of the story, and they get us headed in the right direction.
Hope is the thing with feathers
that perches in the soul,
And sings the tune—without the words,
And never stops at all
- Emily Dickinson
What's up with the epigraph?
Throughout the book, Frannie constantly refers to the Emily Dickinson poem that she reads in class, so we know that it's quite important to the storyline. Frannie's problem at first is that she takes the poem a little too literally; she doesn't get how hope could be something with feathers. Wouldn't that tickle if it lived inside of you? Does hope flutter around in public? How does anything perch within the soul? Where is the soul?
But by the end, Frannie recognizes that the poem has everything to do with her own life. The whole idea is that people keep hoping—and march on with their chins up—even in the face of hardship. Her mama has dealt with the loss of a child and a miscarriage, but she doesn't give in to fear when she finds out that she is pregnant again. Instead, she is filled with hope for the new baby's future.
And Frannie sees how the world around her is slowly changing, and how white and black people are starting to mix, and she thinks that there is much to be hopeful for. As time marches on, things will get better and discrimination will lessen with each generation. And as Frannie learns to hope, she becomes lighter, less burdened with worry—more, you might say, feathery.
In short, the future is bright, so you better wear sunglasses, kid.