On page 7 there’s an exchange between Joe and his father regarding Frankie, the town drunk. Joe is told, “[B]e kind to Frankie. You never know when you might need kindness from people.” How do you think this plays out throughout the rest of the novel?
It comes to pass that Frankie actually is a friend in need at just the right time.
It’s ironic how many times Joe needed kindness from strangers throughout his life, especially when he was completely down. That need for kindness and forgiveness was evident right up to the end of Joe’s life which was especially seen by the kindness his daughter showed toward him.
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There are many examples of kindness and empathy in the novel and Jill was correct in observing that Joe was frequently on the receiving end. There was the unnamed who lived in the brightly colored house and of course Frankie himself. Without these people to show the way, Joe never would have found his way back home.
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I think all the members of this family were kind and caring. It showed up in many examples throughout the book. Joe probably received more kindness throughout his life than any of the others. But in his way he was also a caring person.
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The book is full of examples of kindness to counteract the cruelty of life. The ending is only plausible because kindness does exist. Norma learned the truth because Aunt June knew what it was to live a lie. Ruthie was welcomed back into the family with love and kindness. Not all stories end happily but I was glad this one did.
Joe found people who accepted him, despite how he viewed himself. He was able to return to his family.
Lorena’s family thought they were being kind by accepting her actions. They protected her from the lie she told herself.