The Candy of Strangers, Lady Liberty & The Children's Hour

In these chapters, James comes home from the war and, in his newfound manic state, asks Maternia's parents for money to send Kathleen to New York. Strangely, Kathleen has fallen out of favour with James; he sees her as a completely different person Somewhat reluctantly, they oblige, and Kathleen heads off the the big city. However, while here, she falls in love and becomes somewhat frustrated with her craft of singing. A mysterious letter comes to James, that is signed by an anonymous stranger. Upon receiving this well-written letter, James immediately ships Kathleen back from New York City. This chapter was generally really confusing. I think it is so, because as a reader, we are supposed to feel like voyeurs, only seeing about half of what is really going on, speculating and gathering memories of the Piper family.

A big theme in this section is change. The narrator notes that: "The Great War was the greatest changer of them all" (MacDonald 115). Here, there is a historical turning point, and a directional change in the plot. The reader gets the feeling that things will begin to rapidly escalate, in wither a positive or negative direction. Also, we get the feeling that characters' attitude towards each other, and even their own personalities will evolve, or perhaps even backtrack. MacDonald wants to inform her readers that what they know from the previous chapters is almost null and void; that was then, this is now.

Throughout this section we get an intimate look on the private lives of Mr. and Mrs. Mahmouds, Maternia's well-off Lebanese parents that disowned her when she chose to leave their household for James. It becomes clear that the relationship between Maternia's parents and the relationship that Maternia has with James share certain similarities. Both men in the relationships are stern and cold, while the woman is quiet and demure, always looking for ways to please their husbands. Mrs. Mahmoud tries very hard to make her spouse happy: "She is wearing her moonstone ring and strand of genuine pearls to please her husband" (MacDonald 119). Mr. Mahmoud is ironically, a lot like James. He thinks always like a businessman, thinking only of ways to make himself look better, and exploiting every oppurtunity to get ahead: "He tells himself that he does it for Giselle. But as he writes the third zero, he reflects upon the future of the family voice. Universally acclaimed. The crowning glory of his success in the New World" (MacDonald 120). This remins me of several psychology articles I have read, who observe that when a woman looks for a partner, they look for someone who subconsciously reminds them of their father. While I understand that the Mahmouds' interpretation of marital roles was somewhat the social normalcy at the time, I believe MacDonald included this so that the reader could ponder family relationships. Do our parents' relationships dictate our relationships? Are we always doomed to repeat what we have seen growing up? Is our fate wholly or partially decided by those around us? Will we, without a doubt, become our parents inevitably? Could the relationship of Maternia and James be part of a vicious cycle?

When Kathleen makes her departure to NYC, a quote is placed, like at the start of most chapters, before the action starts. The quote is from Claudia, a book Kathleen read under her schoolbooks back in Holy Angels school: "Girl as she was, Claudia looked upon the world before her like some untried knight" (MacDonald 122). We see that Kathleen will soon embrace the new world she lives in. She already feels as if she has control over her life. She is a very confident, unshakeable young lady, as she leaves Cape Breton for the first time. While Kathleen is a strong character (admirable for such a quality,) she is not a particularly nice character. Ruthless, selfish and egotistical, the problem with Kathleen is that she does not realize her faults.

We are also introduced to Kathleen's guardian in NYC: a woman named Giles. She volunteers at a convent, and often tends to dying nuns. The narrator grimly exposes that, "Ancient sins bloom afresh, fragrant with the purity they possessed a moment before they were named and nipped in the bud" (MacDonald  124). Here, MacDonald compares the old sins that concerned nuns blurt out before they kick the bucket, to flowers that bloom when time is running out. This is discomforting to the reader, and it gives a sense of insecurity, simply because of the uncertainty of death. If nuns panic before they die, what can be said for the rest of us?

A well used alliteration helps bring to life the chaos and fast-paced lifestyle that Kathleen has been swept into whilst in NYC: "Between sadistic singing lessons with the maestro and suffocating sedate suppers with Giles, Kathleen walks the length and breadth of the island of Manhattan" (MacDonald 125). This adds momentum to MacDonald's writings.

Finally, the two younger girls at home learn to read all by themselves: "The glass of the mirror has simply melted away, and now they are free to enter as many worlds as they like, together or alone" (MacDonald 131). This metaphor is used to illustrate that the girls have grown up; they no longer rely on others, and are now "free" from their parents. For better or worse, they are close to being emancipated.

When James is bonding with Frances and Mercedes, a short poem is included entitled The Children's Hour, hence the title of the chapter it is located in. The poem was written in the 1860s, and the narrator, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow depicts a wonderful life with his three daughters. This is ironic, considering the crippled relationship James has with one of his daughters, and the overall strange family parallels that the Piper family harbour. This book is so full of allusions and obscure references, that it is difficult to look up every single mention throughout the story. It is a challenging read, mostly because I know very little of popular culture in the early 1900s.

Interesting Vocabulary
Civvies- Slang for street clothes. James walks back to his house in these. It is a symbol; his wartime heroism has been forgotten and he is just plain old James again.
Pre-eminent- Very important and distinguished. James looks for the pre-eminent teacher of music for Kathleen in NYC.
Trousseau- A dowry for a single woman. Teresa is getting hers ready for when she marries.