How Far She Went

771 Words4 Pages
“How Far She Went” by Mary Hood In “How Far She Went,” Mary Hood writes about a southern grandmother who is pushed to the limits in order to protect the delinquent granddaughter, whom she is raising. The teenage granddaughter expresses disdain for having to stay with her in the rural south and runs off, only to return on the back of a motorcycle with a group of marauding men. The grandma demands that she return to her side and informs the men that the girl is under age, and they could go to prison. The men take offense at the threat, and a vengeful pursuit of the grandma and grandchild ensues. They manage to flee together, but ultimately the grandma must kill her beloved dog in order to protect them both. Hood emphasizes the conflicting emotions involved in unconditional love and familial commitments. The grandma shows devotion to her deceased daughter when she tends to her grave. However, she is also reminded of her offspring’s wild and difficult personality now that she is dealing with raising her daughter’s similarly difficult child. Although she greatly loves her dog, she somehow manages to sacrifice him, all to protect the unspoken higher commitments she feels for her daughter and grandchild. One subtheme is the inner turmoil and isolation some may feel when trapped in an unfair situation. When the granddaughter learns that she has to stay with her grandma, she feels this is an injustice and flees alone down a quiet road. The grandmother feels powerless to alter the past that has brought her to this point, stuck with another rebellious child, so she Pg. 2 escapes to Sylvie’s gravesite. Once there in solitude, she tries to sow seeds in the lifeless clay surrounding the daughter’s
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