Chapters 7-8 Summary

In chapter 7, Miss Finch is taken to a nursing home because she has become senile, cutting off Ruth's exposure to great literature. Ruth graduates from high school soon after. Ruth feels like an afterthought because Matt graduates the same day and all the attention is placed on him. Immediately after graduation, Matt goes off to an academic camp before starting classes at MIT in the fall. Matt never really comes home again. Ruth takes a job at the Trim 'N Tidy, the dry cleaners where May works. Together they work as finishers. May often has to remind Ruth to be polite to the customers. May and Ruth fall into a routine at home. May cooks dinner while Ruth tends to the chickens and collects the eggs. On payday, Ruth hands her check over to May except for ten dollars which she...