Summary


 *  __ Summary __  **

The story, about the Holbrook family, starts in the small mining town Wyoming, where the father Jim Holbrook works in a coal mine. It's early in the 1920’s and the family is living in poverty. When you read between the lines you quickly discover that Jim is a drunk who beats his wife, Anna, and their children. Anna does also beat the children. The most important scene comes early when Mazie (the baby) follows Jim to work. At the mine she nearly gets thrown down a mineshaft by the lunatic, Sheen McEvoy, as a sacrifice. Luckily, the night watchman comes to her rescue, and instead McEvoy slips and falls down the shaft to his death. Mazie immediately gets sick and the Holbrook family decides to move east in when the spring comes.

In the spring the Holbrook family travel across Nebraska and South Dakota, until their wagon gets damaged in a storm. In South Dakota they live at a tenant farm with good prospects, which, unusual enough, make the whole family optimistic and happy. It turns out the farm was the best thing that could ever happened to them. They are now healthy and well-fed, and Mazie and Will starts going on a school. Mazie is interested in an education and are getting known with the Old Man Caldwell next door, who happens by chance to have a lot of books.

The situation is completely the opposite when the winter arrives. The family suddenly have no food left and when Anna becomes pregnant and ill, Jim get stricken of panic. He leaves the family before he returns after 10 days. After a though year at the farm, Jim still owes the farm owner money and they are forced to move again.

After Anna's birth the family moves to Omaha, Nebraska. They are living in a slum and the smell from a nearby slaughterhouse makes the entire Holbrook family sick. The horrible stench penetrates into every corner in their home. All Mazie can dream of is an escape from the horrors in the city to the fresh air at the farm. Due to Jim's low income he is unable to support his family. Anna has to take a job, and even though it isn't much the family can once again have food on the table.

The story ends during a killing heat-wave. The family are for the first time listening to the radio and then “…”.

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