The Art of Drowning

"As if panic, or the act of submergence, / could startle time into such compression, / crushing decades in the vice of your desperate, final seconds" (Collins).
       Collins describes the moment before death when one's life flashes before their eyes. He first discusses the idea that one's life is condensed greatly in the moment before an individual dies. He then discusses that "any form [would] be better than this sudden flash." He does not think the flash gives an individual's life enough recognition because it is so short without enough meaning. Collins then has the realization that the sudden flash of life may not even exist. He recognizes that "the tide will take you, or the lake will accept it all." Collins believes that when an individual's time of death arrives, the "tide" or the "lake will not care about the life the individual had lived.

Winter's Bone Theme

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The theme of family loyalty is very prominent throughout Winter's Bone. The lover's knot represents the ties that force Ree to remain faithful to her brothers and mother. The fact that the ring is a circle depicts the thought that Ree cannot escape her situation. Ree will forever be bound to her family.

Winter's Bone pg. 163-193

"Two things everybody's got tuh du fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves" (Hurston 192).

"I'd get lost without the weight of you two on my back" (Woodrell 193).

Essay Topic: Does Ree fulfill Janie's second suggestion of what people have to do for themselves?

Winter's Bone pg. 131-162

"'If she does wrong, you can put it on me'" (Hurston 137).
       Teardrop takes responsibility for Ree because he feels bad for her, and he trusts her. Teardrop realizes that beating Ree was a way for the Miltons to seek revenge on her father, but he disagrees with their logic. Ree was only looking for answers, not trying to get anyone in trouble. However, the Miltons assume Ree is just like her father, so they beat her up because they do not trust her. Teardrop threatens them when he says, "If anybody lays even just one finger on that girl ever again, they better have shot me first" (138). Even though Teardrop had warned Ree not to go to Hawkfall asking about things they were not offering to talk about, he defends her. One could assume that he would be mad at her and say 'I told you so,' but he stands up for Ree instead. Teardrop shows strong family loyalty by coming to Ree's rescue without reprimanding her.

Winter's Bone pg. 109-130

"He flung his arm out, gesturing vaguely toward the land up the hill behind the house. 'I'd sell off that Bromont timber now while you can'" (Woodrell 112).

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       Upon Teardrop's arrival to tell Ree that her father had not shown for his court case, he insists for Ree to sell the timber behind Ree's house because she will need the money from it. It is known that "the true price of such a sale would be the ruination of home, and despite lean years of hardship no generation yet wanted to be the one who wrought that upon the family land" (104). Teardrop encourages Ree to sell the timber because he wants to see her be the disappointment to the family name. Rather than trying to save Ree from ruining the family name, Teardrop makes her feel like a failure. Teardrop gives Ree some money to help her out, but he is implying that her situation is too difficult to overcome. He does not want to see Ree succeed. Teardrop is weak willed and does not understand Ree's determination. Teardrop also has a sense of sincerity when he says this to Ree because he does not want whomever ends up living in Ree's house next to cut the timber. He does not want the timber to go to waste and let someone else make a profit off of it.

Winter's Bone pg. 20-81

"Blood don't truly count for diddly to the big man?" (Woodrell 63).
       Ancestry is a common theme in Winter's Bone. Ree wants to rely on her family when she is looking for her father because she believes they should support her due to their blood relation. When Thump Milton will not speak to Ree, she does not understand his logic. She was hoping that he would talk with her because they are relatives. Teardrop warned Ree not to go down to Hawkfall and ask people about things they did not offer to talk about (25). Ree did not listen, and Thump Milton turned her away. Blond takes a different approach than Teardrop. Blood says to Ree, "Jessup'n me maybe had our tussles, but he was my first cousin still. I'll see whatever I can do for you" (76). Blood has a higher regard for the blood relation between him and Jessup. He is willing to help Ree find her father because he sees the value in their family name.

Winter's Bone pg. 3-19

"She'd never get away from her family as planned, off to the U.S. Army, where you got to travel with a gun and they made everybody help keep things clean. She'd never have only her own concerns to tote" (Woodrell 15).
        Ree wishes to leave her family in the future because she is tired of being a caretaker at age sixteen. It is burdensome for Ree to be a mother to her brothers, and be responsible for all the household chores. Her father neglects to supply any means to the family, and her mother's health inhibits her from assisting in any way. Ree has a lot to handle at a young age. She wishes to go into the Army because she will not have to pick up or clean up after anyone else. The Army suits Ree because she will be able to focus some of her attention on herself. The only thing Ree does to sooth her pent up frustrations is "inject herself with pleasant sounds" (10). Listening to the sounds of the ocean allows Ree to escape from her current situation. She is able to find a sense of peace while listening to calming sounds.