Chapter 5 Summary and Analysis

One November, Russell's family heads to Uncle Miller's in Taylorstown for a hog-butchering celebration. Miller likes to drink and bargain for antique furniture, and his wife Edmonia keeps him in check. Lucy is happy to be going. Ida has told Russell that birds coming into the house are omens of death, and Russell witnessed Ida claiming to see the ghost of her dead son Russell. Lucy objects to Ida's superstitious influence.

The family arrives at Miller's, and Benny has some alcohol and is sick after dinner. The festivities are off. A doctor comes and takes Benny to the hospital. While Russell's mother is at the hospital and his grandmother cares for his sister, he is on his own. His cousins Kenneth and Ruth Lee come to tell him his father is dead. Russell doesn't believe it and runs home crying, but...