The Homecoming Essay, Research Paper

Homecoming takes place in Province town and Bridgeport, Connecticut on Route One that runs south between the two cities. At the end of the story, the setting is in Crisfield, Maryland, along the Chesapeake Bay ,USA. The story takes place in 1981, the same year as it was written. The setting does not play a role in the story because the same events could have happened anywhere. The main Character in the Homecoming is thirteen year old Dicey Tillerman. Her will and determination keeps the kids safe, both physically and emotionally. Other main characters including Dicey’s three younger siblings, nine year old James, seven year old Maybeth, and six year old Sammy. The introduction to the story starts in a car parked in a parking lot of a mall. The mother of the four vanishes, leaving them stranded. They decided to walk to Bridgeport, were there aunt lives. As they headed for Bridgeport, the four encountered two sixteen year old runaways, Edie and Louis. These people are important to Dicey’s metal health because she can express her true emotions to them. She couldn’t do this to her brothers or sister in fear of showing despair and fear. Dicey departs from Edie and Louis when there paths meet a fork. The plot continues as the family meets up with Windy and Stewart, two boys just out for there collage, conveniently, visiting family from Bridgeport. They provide shelter and a ridethere. When they get in Bridgeport they stay with their Cousin Eunice, and old woman who is a nun at the local church. She introduces the children to Father Joseph, a priest who gives them clothes, but whose main motive is splitting them apart. Dicey soon realizes his intentions and flees with her family to find their grandmother in Crisfield. There, they meet two boys, Jerry and Tom, who take them across the Chesapeake Bay in their sailboat. After they get off the boat, Dicey wants to work to get food, so a man named Mr. Rudyard hires her and her younger siblings to pick tomatoes for one day in his poorly maintained orchard. Dicey quickly notices the hash personality of Mr. Rudyard.

The Climax of the story is reached when Mr. Rudyard snaps at the Tillerman’s, chasing them with his large German Shepherd. They where in arm’s reach of him when suddenly two circus actors, Will and Clair, save them from the unpredictable hands of the deranged farmer. The novel concludes as the 4 children move in with their grandma, who attaches herself to them quicky. She enrolls them in to school. There where many confects in this story, especially Dicey’s internal struggle. When she meets Edie and Louis the runaways, she displays her fears, concerns and wishes with them. The family also encounters many external confects, finding food and shelter was the main concern. The author, Cynthia Voigh, uses imagery to describe the unbearable living conditions that the kids would sometimes live in. As well she uses imagery to express the beautiful scenery they meet up with along the way, including the Province Town shore line or Bridgeport’s Cemetery. There are many themes but I think the main one is that sorrow makes the heart grow fonder. Dicey had responsibilities that most thirteen year old’s are not prepared for. She had the burden of keeping the family together emotionally and keeping them safe and fed. Dicey had to make a commitment to survive no matter how sorrowful life was. I feel that Homecoming is a wonderful book. Overall, it is full of adventure and interesting situations. This book’s only drawbacks are its few slow moments in which the story is put on hold and the characters take time to explain their inner feelings. I feel it would be beneficial for the reader if the author had chosen to weave these personal tidbits into the rest of the intricate plot. These dull moments are mostly at the beginning, so the story flows easily once the reader gets past the first few chapters. I would recommend this book to people who believe in strong family values. Also to anyone who enjoys reading tales of struggles and about the feelings of people.