Part 1, Chapter 5 Summary

Steve is wild and rebellious because of his early experiences with his father's most extreme alcoholic escapades. Gant heaps abuse on Steve at home because of his failures; then Steve forges a check on his father. Although Gant pays the check, he is furious, blaming Steve's problems on "Mountain Blood." Eliza tells Steve that he would have turned out better if he hadn't gone to every dive in town to pull his daddy out.

Gant is drinking less except for a spree every six to eight weeks. Eliza's patience with the abuse is wearing thin; they no longer sleep in the same bedroom. Gant brings home enormous amounts of food and builds roaring fires in the mornings and in the evenings, and he reads to Eugene, who memorizes the books and pretends to "read" them by reciting them, which pleases his...