Happily Ever After?

                                          Summary of Where the Heart Is

Sevens is not a lucky number for 17 year old Novalee Nation. She is 17 years old and 7 months pregnant. She has nobody in the world except her selfish self centered boyfriend Willie Jack. At the beginning of the novel Novalee and Willie Jack are traveling to California. Novalee announces that she has they have to stop due to the fact that she needs to use the bathroom and buy a pair of slippers since she dropped hers. Willie Jack, annoyed stops at a local Wal-mart and gives Novalee 10 dollars to buy slippers. Novalee goes into Wal-mart and purchases her slippers and receives the change of 7.77. She immediately realizes something wrong and rushes outside to find Willy Jack gone and her belongings left on the cement parking lot of Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma. While Novalee is standing in the parking lot she meets a boy named Benny Good luck who gives her a buckeye tree, Sister Husband who mistakes her for a girl named Ruth and Moses Whitecotton who we advises Novalee to give her baby a strong name.

With no food or money Novalee manages to find shelter in Wal-mart. She also befriends a young man named Forney Hull who works at library while she was looking for books on Buckeye trees. Forney curious about Novalee follows her around and discovers she lives in Wal-mart but doesn’t say anything. After living in Wal-Mart for 2 month Novalee gives birth to her baby with the help of Forney in Wal-mart. After she gives birth Novalee gives her daughter the name Americus, what she believes is a strong name. She is rushed to the hospital for treatment and she meets and befriends her nurse Lexie is a nurse who has 4 kids from 3 different fathers and there all named after sweets. Novalee receives many donations and “coincidently” her mother shows up after years and takes all of Novalee donation money. During her hospital stay Novalee is offered a job at the Wal-mart she gave birth too by the owner Sam Walton which she graciously accepts. After she is released from the hospital she goes to live with Sister Husband.

Mean while after Willie Jack has been arrested due to the fact that he was framed for a burglary at a 7-11 store and he sent to jail. Willie Jack faces some traumatic experiences in jail and writes his first song. When he is released from jail, he tries to make it as a country singer and is hired by a manager named Ruth Meyers

Five years have passed and Novalee is developing a career in photography with Moses Whitecotton as her mentor. One day a tornado blows through while Sister Husband is running an errand. Novalee and Americus make it safely to shelter while Sister Husband is killed. At the funeral Novalee is informed that Sister Husband left her with 41 000 dollars and with that money Novalee builds a new home for her and Americus

One day, Novalee receives a call from Brownie, Lexie's oldest child. Novalee cannot hear what he is saying, and eventually perceives that something bad has happened so she drives to Lexie's house. She finds Lexie in the bedroom with Brownie and Praline, covered in blood and bruised. Novalee permits Lexie and her now five children to live with her and Americus in their new house. Lexie tells Novalee that her new boyfriend had gone to her house and tried to molest her two oldest children, Brownie and Praline, before Praline had thrown up on him and Lexie returned home from work early and caught him before he got to Brownie. She attacked him, hitting him twice before he knocked her out. Lexie is at first devastated, but as time passes she and her children begin to heal, and she eventually marries the ordinary but reliable "Ernie the Exterminator" and has another child.

When Forney’s sister passes away due to alcoholism and he does not appear to be at the funeral, Novalee finds him in a hotel and comforts him. Novalee and Forney end up sleeping together, after which he tells her that he loves her and she doesn't respond. Forney goes to Maine to bury his sister, When Forney comes back, he talks about visiting Bowdoin and Novalee suggest that he can now complete his education but Forney says he loves her and wants to get a factory job and stay with her, but Novalee ignores her feelings and tells him that she doesn’t love him like that and he leaves.

On Americus’s Novalee is worried about her party because of the unlucky 7. Later, Novalee picks up a newspaper and reads a story about a double amputee had his wheel chair stolen. The man they describe in the paper fits the description of Willy Jack to Novalee Willy lost his legs when he was drunk because he was sued of copyrighting his hit song. While he was drunk, he kept hearing Novalee's voice talking about Americus, and then he tripped on train tracks and an oncoming train.

She visits Willy in the hospital and tells him about what happened to her. He admits that he lied to her when he told her that he didn't feel the baby's heart beat the day he left her behind. Willy explains people lie because they're "scared, crazy, or just mean". Novalee realizes that she made a similar mistake lying to Forney. She drives Willy Jack home to Tennessee and then continues to Maine to find Forney at college. Novalee admits to him that she lied and that she really loves him and they go back to Oklahoma and are wed in a Wal-Mart.

Where the Heart is reminds me of...

     What Where the Heart is reminds me of.

                                           
When I first read Where the Heart Is the first movie that popped into my mind was a movie created to entertain an African American audience. The movie is called Diary of a Mad Black Woman directed by Tyler Perry

          In Diary of a Mad Black Woman the main character Helen is married to her husband Charles who is successful lawyer. Helen believes that her and Charles have a successful marriage of 18 years but Charles thinks otherwise. In the beginning of the novel Charles receives a major promotion and states on the evening of the event  that "I couldn't have done it without my wife of 18 years, Helen" and he dedicates a toast to her. After the party celebrating his promotion Charles and Helen return back to their home. When they arrive at Helen is shocked to see all her possessions in moving boxes sitting on the lawn. She and Charles enter the house where Helen immediately demands whats going on.  Charles announces he wants a divorce and introduces Helen to the woman he's been cheating on her with. He calmly tells Helen to leave "his" home and that a moving van will be there shortly to pick her and her belongs and drive to any location she desires. Helen is shocked at Charles change of heart so quickly that she demands an explanation about why he's doing this to her. Charles ignores and in anger Helen slaps him. Charles angry that Helen hit him in the presence of his new girlfriend, literally drags Helen outside onto the front porch and locks the door behind her. The truck driver happens to see all of this happening and does nothing to help but when she enters the truck he asks her if she's okay. Helen request to the truck driver that he drives her to a friend of her mother named Medea's house. Medea accepts her into her house with open arms. Later on at a BBQ at Medea's house Helen runs into the truck driver again and discovers his name is Orlando and they begin to date. Mean while in Charles life, an old friend from the past comes to see him. His friend first ask Charles to defend him in court due to the fact that he's been caught with drugs and he's being charged for murder. Charles refuses at first in fear that in court the judge might ask him if they knew each other and how. His friend then black mails him saying he'll tell the prestigious law firm that he's working at about Charles past which involved things such as drug dealing, stealing, gang violence etc. Charles agrees to defend him in fear of would happen to his career if the secrets about his past were revealed. At the trial Charles friend is sentenced to life in prison. His friend angry that Charles didn't protect him, grabs a gun from a near by officer and shoots Charles right in the spine causing him to be paralyzed from the  waist down. The woman that he cheats on Helen with, suddenly disappears with all of Charles valuables and most of his money. Charles now lives on his own and has very little money and cannot afford a nurse. Helen goes to see if he needs any assistance, which he does. Helen decides not to waste her life for a man who threw her out so she drives back to his parents house and marries the truck driver.         

          Diary of a Mad Black Woman reminds me of where the heart is in many ways. Both Novalee and Helen get abandoned by their  boyfriend/ husband. Another example is that in the beginning of Where the Heart Is Novalee and Willie Jack seem as if there on good terms with each other though Willie Jack is a little bit annoyed with her. In Diary of Mad Black Woman Helen and Charles seem to be get along just fine but when they arrive at their designated location there both abandoned by their men. Also both women find their possessions outside. Both characters also have a motherly influence in their life who takes them in and offers them love and support. In Where the Heart Is, Sister Husband takes in Novalee and in Diary of a Mad Black Woman Medea takes in Helen. In the both the movie and the book both of the main characters meet a man who wants to marry them and they both feel he's way to good for them. In Where the Heart Is Forney proposes to Novalee but Novalee rejects because she believes he's to good for her. In Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Orlando proposes to Helen and she also declines his request due to the fact that she thinks too good for him. In the end both woman get married to the men that proposed to them. Another major similarity is that Willie Jack in Where the heart Is loses the ability to use his legs and Novalee goes to help out and in Diary of a Mad Black Woman Charles also loses the capability to use his legs and Helen goes to help him. Both stories have a few similar themes/message in common. The ones who you trust the most can hurt. Novalee trusted Willie Jack and he abandoned her and Helen trusted Charles and he kicked her out. They both found family who loved and cared for them despite the fact that they weren't blood related and they both found men who loved them.
                                                                                             






                                                                                                                                                                              

What did they think?

                                                        Character Discussion Questions

K-Kamilia
A-Amanda

1. Willy Jack seems like a selfish self centered young man who seems to treat Novalee harshly. Do you think he possessed the same character traits before he and Novalee dated ? Why?   
K-He might have liked her before but then she got pregnant
A- Yes I do think he possessed the same character traits before. If he had parents who were aggressive and didn’t show emotions well, (like love) then he would have grown up and took on the same traits.

2. In the beginning of the novel, Novalee is a poor uneducated teenage mother. Novalee, however seems to be remarkably maternal and responsible in her parental role. Is it possible that lacking a loving mother herself would be such a good mother?
K-Since Novalee was abandoned in her childhood, she doesn't want Americus to have the same experience as her.
A- I feel it is possible. When you don’t have something when you grow up, like a mother, you either end up not being a good one yourself or become a very good one. Which is what Novalee became, a very good mother.

3. How does Willy Jacks Pickins/Billy Shadow function as a character within the novel?
K- In the inside there both the same. He still treats women like trash. Although, Billy Shadow strives for success in the music business as opposed to Willy Jack who is willing to get his finger cut off just for money. 
A-Not sure what to say...

4. After Novalee was abandoned by her mother at the age of six who only reappears when Novalee is famous, why does Novalee trust her with the money? 
K- Novalee is gullible and she is overwhelmed when she sees her mother that she trust and believes everything
A-She trusts her because she’s her mother. The fact that her mom came back and seeing her might have made Novalee think that her mom really does care about her and as a result she trusts her to show that she is grateful.


5. How would you describe the impacts that Forney, Sister Husband and Lexie play on Americus's character? 
K- Forney gives her intelligence, by reading to her at night, plays the role as a father. Sister Husband plays the role as her grandmother and Lexie plays the role as her Aunt, she plays with Lexie kids.
A- I would describe the impacts that Forney, Sister Husband and Lexie play on Americus’ character are good. They play family roles that Americus wouldn’t have if not for them. As a child it is good for her to have people who love you and to know that someone is there for you, who you can depend on and go to for help. Which is what those 3 do.

6. Not only do adults play an important role in this novel so do the children. How to the children character traits help frame the book? 
K-Benny Goodluck gave her a tree
A-The whole reason Novalee does everything she does is for Americus. To provide a great life for her. The innocence of Americus makes all the people around her feel the need to care and protect her. 

7. After that unfortunate violent incident that occurred to Brownie do you think Brownie will be able to place his trusts in adults again?
K-Brownie will eventually forgive Lexie. As he grows up he'll understand what happened and that it wasn't his mothers fault, although I don't think he'll trust adults easily.
A- With help and maybe even therapy I think that Brownie can be able to place his trust in adults again.


8. If the story was told from Willy Jacks point of view do you think Novalee would have been portrayed differently? Why or why not? 
K- Novalee might have not been even mentioned in the book because he's so self centered 
A-If the story was told from Willy Jacks point of view I do think that Novalee would have been portrayed differently. He sees her as a girl that he just has to provide for, useless baggage. He obviously didn’t care for her that much if he was able to leave her and his unborn child at Wal-Mart.


9. After what happened between Novalee and Willy Jack do you think that Novalee will want Americus knowing who her father is?
K- As she grows up, her curiosity will grow. She'll want to know who her father is and she'll want know who her father is and she'll keep bugging Novalee about it. She might not trust him easily since, abandoned her mother at Wal-mart. 
A-I think that eventually when Americus is older she will tell her who her real father is. She may not tell her much about him and what he did to them, but she will at least want her to know who he is. She has a right to know. 

10. Which characters do toy think possessed the strong character traits and stayed true to themselves and those around them? Why?
K- Willy Jack became more sensitive after he lost his legs,his sympathy for Novalee and Americus grew. 
A- I think Novalee and Forney did. Throughout the story Novalee still had the same objective, create a better life, and didn’t compromise it for no one. Forney did not try to change who he was to get Novalee to like him. He stayed true to himself and who he is.

 
 
 

  

Happy, Sad, Mad, Glad?

                           How the book Where the heart is made me feel

 

Many emotions ran through me as I read the novel Where the Heart is. At times I just wanted to shut the book and fling the book against the wall. When I began reading I felt disgusted at the fact that Novalee was a seventeen about to be teenage mother. My disgust soon turned to pity and sympathy when Willie Jack left Novalee at Wal-mart with just seven dollars and seventy seven cents. Even though what Willie Jack did was wrong and heartless I understood why he did what he did. He was trying to amount to a greater musical level and to be more popular in the music world and a pregnant girlfriend might have slowed down his progress of reaching his musical goal. One point in the story when I had mixed feelings was when Willie Jack got arrested. I was partially happy that something bad happened to Willie Jack since he left Novalee but at the same time I was angry that Willie Jack got framed for a crime he didn't commit. By the end of the novel I felt sorry for Willie Jack that his musical career went down hill even though he put some effort into it and the fact that he lost both his legs. I felt proud when Novalee found the strength and courage to go see Willie Jack despite the past they had and to help him. At one point of the story I felt jealous of Novalee due to the fact that everything went her way for example she finds a home, has a successful career and marriage. The author practically depicts Novalee's life as picture perfect. There's one scene in the book that made me feel bitter and unhappy was when Sister Husband died in the tornado. I felt bitter and unhappy because Sister Husband was Novalee's and her daughter Americus family. She was always there for Novalee to provide her food, shelter and love. She was to a certain degree a mother figure for Novalee and a grandmother figure for Americus. Now Novalee lost her mother figure. In conclusion I felt a lot when I read the book but the strongest emotion I felt was joy because everything turned out well for most of the characters and it teaches a good lesson to all the readers: to work to their full potential to reach their goals and to forgive and forget.

A house isn't a home.

                                                              Where the Heart is: Theme(s) 

                     In the the novel Where the Heart is has several themes. The theme I believe that represents the novel well is that a house isn't a home.
                  The definition of house according to Websters Dictionary is  a building in which people live; residence for human beings while the definition for home according to Websters Dictionary is the dwelling place or retreat of an animal. When Novalee was living in Wal-mart she was living in what would be best described as a house. Wal-mart was a house for Novalee because she had no reason to look forward to going there because there would be no one there to greet her and welcome her. Wal-mart was her house due to the fact that she just slept and ate there. Novalee finds a home when she gives birth to Americus and goes to live with Sister Husband. She found because she had a place where she could retreat from the hardships of the world with her daughter and friends.  
  
                Another theme that occurred to me that represents the novel is: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Throughout the novel Novalee and her friends are faced with terrible obstacles that could change their lives forever. For example the main character Novalee is abandoned at Wal-Mart and left to fend on her with very little money, no place to stay and with child. Instead of losing hope and giving up Novalee finds shelter at Wal-mart, gives birth to her baby, finds a job and becomes a photographer. Another example of this theme was when Novalee friends Lexie is left critical condition after being brutally beat up by a man she was currently dating who molested her children. Lexie is left in both a terrible emotional and physical state. She is partly paralyzed and she blames herself for what happened to her kids and she feels her children blame her also. Lexie defies the odds and regains her strength, and finally regains confidence in men and finds a man who accepts her for who she is and her children. 

              The last theme that I thought of that represent the story isn't a very strong theme. The theme is The ones who you trust the most can hurt you. Novalee first realizes that when she Willy Jack abandoned her at Wal-mart. Novalee didn't expect that to happen due to the fact that she was carrying his baby. Another example to prove this theme was when Novalee got paid a visit from her mother at the hospital. Novalee Nation was receiving many donations from generous people and in total she around 6000 dollars. Novalee mother comes to visit her promising to hold on to the money for her, but she leaves Novalee penniless and her or the money isn't mentioned again in the novel.



 

Where the Heart Is

                                                        Where the Heart Is By:Bille Letts
                                                                    Where the Heart Is

                                                                       

Sevens are often known as charmed fortunate numbers but not for the  young protagonist Novalee Nation. Novalee Nation is a 17 year old girl who is seven months with child with her boyfriend a struggling artist named Willy Jack. In the beginning of the novel Novalee and Willie Jack are his car driving to Las Vegas due to the fact that he has an performance. He seems to be irritated with Novalee due to the fact that she is talking about their future that he doesn't seem to be in accord with. Willie Jack gets fed up with Novalee when she announces that she  needs to use the restroom and buy slippers as a result of dropping her shoes before. Willie Jack angrily agrees and they stop at a local Walmart in Sequoya, Oklahoma . Novalee enters the Walmart uses the restrooms and buys a pair of slippers. Novalee reliazes something is amiss immediately after she receives 7.77 in change. She rushes outside to find Willie Jack has gone and has left her belongings where the car was parked.





Novalee Nation left at Wal-Mart