Hiram calls Shine his “daughter of the spirit.” He wishes he could take credit for her fire, but “he knew it was not his. Yet he protected it, nourished it, tried his best to temper it. She would be the strongest of the Strongs, the best of the batch. This Shine honored him most of all, carrying his name along with his know-how.” What does he mean? How does Hiram’s love and acceptance play a part in Shine’s later decision to form and embrace her own unconventional family bonds? In the end, who do you think is the “strongest Strong?”?
The quote made me believe that Hiram suspected Shine’s parentage all along. Shine knew she was the darling of the family and this love and acceptance gave her the confidence to save herself and help save the Strong women.
Hiram apparently knew that Shine was not his biological daughter, but chose to protect her and love her as his own anyway. He accepted her differences from the other two girls, and he groomed her to use her spirit to save the Strong family when it was time. I definitely think Shine was the strongest in the family.
Shine’s personality and attitude was contagious. She was determined at a young age. Family always came first. Hiram knew he could depend on her for encouragement. She was the strength of the family.
Shine is a play on words. Shine helps make moonshine and she lights up spaces and people wherever she goes. The fact her mother got pregnant by a traveling minister and then didn’t want the baby was ironic. Maybe the author’s point was something like the cliche, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?
Yes. I anticipated Shine would end up with John and was happy she did.
Shine’s spirit lit up the family, and she was the one that helped Hiram, was interested and knowledgeable about the whole moonshine process, and seemed to possess the gift of discernment. She honored her father in many ways, feeling truly loved by him, while also accepting his flaws. Shine was indeed a strong woman, but all the Strong women eventually realized that they were all indeed stronger than they thought.
After Hiram lost Alta he was despondent and this small baby helped him. She gave him “purpose in life”. As an infant, Hiram saw her “spit and vinegar” that could “light a fire under them all”. Hiram took a “shine” to this infant thus her name. It seems Shine (true to her name) grew up to be a problem solver and “self-reliant”. I do consider to be the strongest daughter in light of surviving a variety of situations. However, Elsie, did show strength in making the decisions she had to make. So she is a close second.
Ann_H, I agree with you and the others Shine was the strongest daughter. But I also appreciated you mentioned Elise, she had her own type of strength.