Part 1: Chapter 6 Summary and Analysis

Raymond decides that he wants to become a big time farmer. He buys an old mule and rents a strip of land. At the beginning it seems that all is going well, but one morning Raymond storms into the house and drops something on the table. He tells the family that the object is an old hand grenade and that the lower portion of the field is no good because its full of old army equipment.

Essie Mae is still working for Mrs. Claiborne but knows that she will have to quit when school is out in order to work in the field. Mama and Raymond spend days praying for rain to help the cotton grow while Essie Mae prays just as much that the seeds will die. When school ends, the entire family goes out to the field...