Literary Elements:
Setting:
Modern day Caliente, Nevada
Conflicts:
External: Pattyn's faces conflict with her father, a devout Mormon, who both pushes his beliefs on her, and is an abusive (both physically and verbally) alcoholic. Her fathers religion plays a key role in the conflicts and plot of this story.
Internal: Pattyn battles with the choice between her religion and natural teenage urges. In the Mormon religion, followers a required to remain abstinent until they're married and Mormon. This becomes a problem for Pattyn when she finds herself infatuated with a boy from her school, and later falls in love with a boy named Ethan. Neither of which are Mormon, or "pure" for that matter.
Characters:
Pattyn (main character, protagonist, age 17)
Pattyn's Father (main character, antagonist)
Aunt Jeanette; Aunt J (round character, plays a key role in the story)
Ethan; Pattyn's first true love (both protagonist and antagonist)
Kevin; Ethan's father, Aunt J's ex lover (flat, however, plays a key role in the story)
Climax and Resolution:
After returning home from a summer with Aunt J, and more importantly Ethan, Pattyn discovers that she is pregnant. Ethan and Pattyn plan to keep the baby and raise it together. Pattyn's father is outraged, turning his anger out on Pattyn. After a car accident caused by a police officer (friend of Pattyn's father), Ethan dies and Pattyn miscarries. Filled with a new bitter strength, she vows that she will one day kill her father.
Book Glossary:
Mormon: a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), a religion founded in the US in 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. "Don't you know? She's a Mormon. The words seethed from her mouth like spittle" (Hopkins, 93). Pattyn and her family are LDS Mormon.
Caliente, Nevada:
Caliente, formerly known as Culverwell and Calientes is a city in Lincoln County, Nevada, United States. Its elevation is 4,300 feet. The population was 1,130 at the 2010 census. The city's name originated from the nearby hot springs, as "caliente" is the Spanish word meaning "hot". "He didn't speak much on the two hour drive to Caliente. I wondered if he was lost in some childhood reverie...." (Hopkins, 179). Pattyn spends her summer in Caliente, Nevada with her Aunt J.
Bishop: a senior member of the Christian clergy, typically in charge of a diocese and empowered to confer holy orders. "I couldn't call Bishop Crandall. In his eyes, Jackie was just another of Dad's possessions" (Hopkins, 425). The Mormon church has a Bishop.
Pure: not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material. "And I, allegedly being a good Mormon girl, was supposed to keep my feminine thoughts pure" (Hopkins, 18). Pattyn struggles to remain pure while battling with her natural "urges".
Significant quotes:
Pattyn leads a life completely dictated by her father’s wishes and decisions. She has very little to no freedoms, and is not permitted to do anything for herself. “Did you ever, when you were little, endure your parents’ warnings, then wait for them to leave the room, pry loose protective covers and consider inserting some metal object into an electrical outlet? Did you wonder if for once you might light up the room? When you were big enough to cross the street on your own, did you ever wait for a signal, hear the frenzied approach of a fire truck and feel like stepping out in front of it? Did you wonder just how far that rocket ride might take you? When you were almost grown, did you ever sit in a bubble bath, perspiration pooling, notice a blow dryer plugged in within easy reach, and think about dropping it into the water? Did you wonder if the expected rush might somehow fail you? And now, do you ever dangle your toes over the precipice, dare the cliff to crumble, defy the frozen deity to suffer the sun, thaw feather and bone, take wing to fly you home?” (1, Hopkins) In the very beginning of the story, Pattyn wonders about what it would be like to make decisions for herself. She begins to question her religion and whether or not defiance will only lead her to failure, or will turn into self-righteousness. The idea of defiance goes on lead Pattyn into an entirely new life experience, and also completely changes the quality of her life. In the beginning of the story, Pattyn is very unhappy with her life. She feels as if she is doomed to an unfulfilling life of a house wife due to her religion and family values. “Happiness, you see, it’s just an illusion of Fate, a heavenly sleight of hand designed to make you believe in fairy tales. But there's no happily ever after. You'll only find happy endings in books. Some books.” (11, Hopkins) In her life, Pattyn finds solitude only books. She realizes that happy endings are not realistically attainable and can only be found in books, even in that, not all stories end well.
Throughout the novel, Pattyn questions her faith, and struggles to accept who she truly is. “Bad choices or good, if you never take chances, someone else will build your life for you.” (218, Hopkins) Through her new life experiences, such as losing her virginity, and wearing make-up, Pattyn realizes that her life will only be hers if she is the one in control of it. She begins to accept her decisions, both good and bad, freeing herself from self-loathing and the confinement of her family’s values and religious views.
When Pattyn goes to live with her Aunt J, she begins challenging her belief in God. She asks her Aunt what God means to her, and if all the restrictions of the Mormon religion truly determine whether or not you’ll get into heaven. “God is love," she said. "And he respects love, whether it's between a parents, and child, a man and woman, or friends. I don't think he cares about religion one little bit. Live your life right. Love with all your heart. Don't hurt others, and help those in need. That is all you need to know. And don't worry about heaven. If it exists, you'll be welcome.” (220, Hopkins) Her aunt’s perspective of religion changes the way Pattyn feels about her life. Instead of constantly questioning whether or not every move she makes determines her goodness, she begins to accept who she truly is. Pattyn’s new view on life allows her to feel comfortable in her own skin.
Pattyn leads a life completely dictated by her father’s wishes and decisions. She has very little to no freedoms, and is not permitted to do anything for herself. “Did you ever, when you were little, endure your parents’ warnings, then wait for them to leave the room, pry loose protective covers and consider inserting some metal object into an electrical outlet? Did you wonder if for once you might light up the room? When you were big enough to cross the street on your own, did you ever wait for a signal, hear the frenzied approach of a fire truck and feel like stepping out in front of it? Did you wonder just how far that rocket ride might take you? When you were almost grown, did you ever sit in a bubble bath, perspiration pooling, notice a blow dryer plugged in within easy reach, and think about dropping it into the water? Did you wonder if the expected rush might somehow fail you? And now, do you ever dangle your toes over the precipice, dare the cliff to crumble, defy the frozen deity to suffer the sun, thaw feather and bone, take wing to fly you home?” (1, Hopkins) In the very beginning of the story, Pattyn wonders about what it would be like to make decisions for herself. She begins to question her religion and whether or not defiance will only lead her to failure, or will turn into self-righteousness. The idea of defiance goes on lead Pattyn into an entirely new life experience, and also completely changes the quality of her life. In the beginning of the story, Pattyn is very unhappy with her life. She feels as if she is doomed to an unfulfilling life of a house wife due to her religion and family values. “Happiness, you see, it’s just an illusion of Fate, a heavenly sleight of hand designed to make you believe in fairy tales. But there's no happily ever after. You'll only find happy endings in books. Some books.” (11, Hopkins) In her life, Pattyn finds solitude only books. She realizes that happy endings are not realistically attainable and can only be found in books, even in that, not all stories end well.
Throughout the novel, Pattyn questions her faith, and struggles to accept who she truly is. “Bad choices or good, if you never take chances, someone else will build your life for you.” (218, Hopkins) Through her new life experiences, such as losing her virginity, and wearing make-up, Pattyn realizes that her life will only be hers if she is the one in control of it. She begins to accept her decisions, both good and bad, freeing herself from self-loathing and the confinement of her family’s values and religious views.
When Pattyn goes to live with her Aunt J, she begins challenging her belief in God. She asks her Aunt what God means to her, and if all the restrictions of the Mormon religion truly determine whether or not you’ll get into heaven. “God is love," she said. "And he respects love, whether it's between a parents, and child, a man and woman, or friends. I don't think he cares about religion one little bit. Live your life right. Love with all your heart. Don't hurt others, and help those in need. That is all you need to know. And don't worry about heaven. If it exists, you'll be welcome.” (220, Hopkins) Her aunt’s perspective of religion changes the way Pattyn feels about her life. Instead of constantly questioning whether or not every move she makes determines her goodness, she begins to accept who she truly is. Pattyn’s new view on life allows her to feel comfortable in her own skin.