Saints at the River...Ch. 6-7

In both chapters 6 and 7, a main focus is the backgrounds of the characters, more specifically Allen’s, Maggie’s and Luke’s. On page 135, Maggie is almost hit by oncoming traffic. When Maggie sees Allen’s expression, she wonders if Herb Kowalsky felt as helpless as Allen when the incident at the river occurred. This is significant because it could suggest that Allen cannot save Maggie from herself, as Herb couldn’t save his daughter from herself when she decided to enter the river. Specifically, Allen cannot save Maggie from her inner struggle involving forgiving her father. Maggie almost being hit also causes Allen to have a flashback of his wife’s and daughter’s deaths. Describing this to Maggie allows the reader to better understand Allen’s intentions involving the river. Chapter 7 more focuses on Luke’s and Maggie’s backgrounds. For example, a quote on page 154 reveals that Luke has stayed true to himself and determined to preserve the river: “Nothing short of being killed would keep Luke from trying to save the Tamassee.” Despite all of the controversy he may have faced in the past and may face in the future, Luke has stayed genuinely devoted to the river. The audience also is given insight into why Luke is so passionate about the river when Maggie tells Allen the reason behind his devotion is because of his Biafra trip. Regarding Maggie’s background, old wounds are reopened when she drives her father home after the town meeting. Her reluctance to forgive her dad is reinforced through her initial indifference and then her later bluntness to her father. Additionally, the past relationship between Luke and Maggie is revisited. Luke suggests Maggie take a photography job near him, and Maggie says she will. This infers that the two may still have some feeling for each other. In chapter 6, music plays a role in the book. When Maggie and Allen talk, “…Emmylou Harris sang of love lost and love found” (page 138). This relates to the plot because Maggie lost her love Luke, Allen lost his wife Claire, and they both are beginning to fall in love with each other. Secondly the quote on page 141 from a Lucinda Williams’ song, “things left behind but not forgotten,” is mentioned after Allen talks of his lost wife and daughter, suggesting he will never forget them. This quote may also support a theme of unattainable love in the book, in which Luke and Maggie are no longer together, Allen loses his wife and daughter, and the Kowalskys additionally lose their beloved daughter. Lastly, the quote “Suddenly I realized Ellen Kowalsky wasn’t looking at the back wall. She was looking through it, past the bridge and Bobcat Rock, all the way to that undercut inside Wolf Cliff Falls” on page 172 caught my attention. I found the quote revealing regarding the mother’s thoughts. She is speaking about her daughter, but the quote suggests that her daughter is all she can think about. VOCABULARY: 1. Flashback: a device in the narrative of a motion picture, novel, etc., by which an event or scene taking place before the present time in the narrative is inserted into the chronological structure of the work (dictionary.com) 2. Beloved: greatly loved; dear to the heart (dictionary.com) 3. Reluctance: unwillingness; disinclination (dictionary.com)