Setting
This tale unfolds with the vivid canvas of Teddie's fifteenth birthday, a gathering around the family table during a warm summer evening in the year 1928. Amid the clinking of cutlery and the glow of candlelight, her family has decreed that Teddie is to embark on a journey into ladyhood, a notion set with the adornment of a cake blossoming with rosebuds and the cool, sweet delight of strawberry ice cream. Teddie, however, rebels at heart, her spirit yearning instead to unravel the tapestry of life itself—a collection of experiences she describes as "the things that happen to you whether you want them to or not, plus all the things that you wish would happen, plus the things you're afraid are going to happen, and why they happen that way, and how to get the good things and not the bad ones." To her, these musings have little to do with the domestic arts of baking, sewing, or ironing, activities deemed essential by her family.
Though Teddie's family insists on her transformation into a proper lady, evidenced by the gifts of a cookbook, an apron, pristine white gloves, Emily Post's tome on Etiquette, an account book, a cherished copy of Gulliver's Travels, and a book of devotions, her heart is elsewhere. Only her dearest friend, Grace, and her brother, Rob, understand her true desires, offering meaningful tokens—a family photograph of the legendary Charles Lindbergh and a balsa model of The Spirit of St. Louis. These treasures fuel Teddie's dreams of soaring the skies as an aviatrix like the fearless Amelia Earhart.
Yet, her mother and older sister remain oblivious to Earhart's groundbreaking legacy, dismissing her as nothing more than an "old maid." Their hopes center around Teddie's mastery over traditional skills: bed-making, cooking, sock-darning, and pillowcase embroidering. Set against this backdrop, the book chronicles that transformative 1920s summer, a season where clashing ambitions converge and find resolution.
Literary Qualities
Meyer's narrative enchants with its vivid storytelling, yet it is her mastery of character development and thematic exploration that truly shines in this novel. A tapestry woven with humor, the story meanders through a labyrinth of challenges, each unraveling in its own time. These dilemmas surpass the boundaries of their physical setting, touching upon universal experiences—familial discord, sibling rivalry, the quest for autonomy, the sting of prejudice, and the unintended consequences of reckless intimacy.
Siblings and Independence
The themes of sibling strife and the struggle for independence are encapsulated early on in Teddie's candid portrayal of her sister, Hannah: "My sister strongly disapproved of my plans to be an aviatrix. If for some reason a woman could not find a husband or was widowed or struck by some other disaster, then she should be a nurse or teach young children. Anything else was unnatural." This sentiment is echoed by Grace, who upholds traditional values by insisting that knowing how to iron a man's shirts or prepare the choicest parts of a chicken for him is a "privilege, not a duty."
Overused Comparisons
The novel's charm is somewhat diminished by Meyer's reliance on clichéd comparisons. We find Rob sprinting up the stairs with a letter from his girlfriend "as though it were a winning sweepstakes ticket," and Julia's allure is such that "Boys swarmed to her like bees to honey," while Warren gazes at Teddie "as if she were a visitor from a distant planet." Julia makes her entrance one breezy summer afternoon "looking cool as a cucumber." These expressions, though perhaps novel in 1928, now appear worn, detracting from the story's resonance and the clarity of its prose.
In conclusion, Meyer's talent...
(This entire section contains 322 words.)
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for character portrayal and her ability to spin a narrative that is both timeless and lightly comedic are noteworthy. The setting is convincingly rendered, serving as the perfect backdrop for Teddie's insightful perspective on the tumultuous journey of adolescence.
For Further Reference
Flowers, A. A. "Late Winter Booklist." Horn Book, 60,1 (February 1984): 63. This glowing critique of Meyer's novel intricately weaves together the plot, characters, themes, and humor, painting a vivid picture of her literary prowess.
"Meyer, Carolyn." In Contemporary Authors. New Revision Series, Vol. 2. Edited by Ann Evory. Detroit: Gale Research, 1981: 471-472. This entry offers a concise biography, highlighting both the personal milestones and professional achievements of Carolyn Meyer.
"Meyer, Carolyn." In Something About the Author. Vol. 70. Edited by Donna Olendorf. Detroit: Gale Research, 1990: 360-363. This document provides a comprehensive overview of Carolyn Meyer's life and career, enriched by her own insightful reflections, and cites numerous resources for further exploration.
Review. Bulletin of the Center for Children Books, 37,2 (October 1983): 34. Within these pages lies a summary of the book, accompanied by a critical analysis that questions its lackluster narrative.
