Part Seven, Shore and Ground Summary and Analysis

Anne and Sam are on the San Quentin beach one day. Anne says she likes the beach because there are often other children for Sam to play with, their dog Sadie can run, they have room to throw sticks for Sadie and Anne comes away feeling refreshed. One particular day, a man comes onto the beach and hits his dog twice with a stick, then jerks the dog up by the collar so she dangles as if suspended "from a meat hook." Anne gives a half-hearted shout at the man but it is another mother who yells at him to stop or she will call the police. Sam asks Anne why she did not do something to stop the abuse and Anne says she was afraid of the man. Sam follows the other...