Plot Line
Exposition: Learning, Vermont. 1923-1927. Rob not being able to be a kid and having to grow up and be a man because the survival of his family depends on it.
Rising Action: Rob helps Apron, the neighbor's cow, give birth to two baby bulls on his way home from school. During the process of helping Apron, Rob receives multiple injuries leaving him bedridden for a week. Farmer Tanner, the Peck's neighbor, shows his gratitude and thanks to Rob by giving him a baby pig. While building a pen for Pinky, Rob's pigs, Rob and his dad, Haven, talk about life and how you have to deal with the cards that you are given. Rob also learns that his dad can't vote because he can't read or write, so that is why Rob gets harped on so much when it comes to reading and writing. On a warm, April day, Pinky and Rob go on an adventure in the woods. Pinky becomes fascinated with butternuts and frogs. Rob's mom later called Rob and Pinky back to the barn to watch the birth of his cat's kittens. Rob receives his report card in the mail and he gets a D in English, so Aunt Matty decides to tutor him in English. This, however, does not go over very well. One day, Rob and Pinky are laying in a cloverfield when they see a hawk circle the sky and scoop down and kill it's prey. This very much symbolizes how Pinky is going to eventually be slaughtered by Haven. Rob wanted to take Pinky to the Rutland fair, so Farmer Tanner offers to take him along after Widow Bascom mentions it. Rob helps Farmer Tanner by showing his bulls and then goes and shows Pinky, but because of the smell of pig manure Rob gets sick all over the judges shoes. Although, Pinky wins best-behaved pig. Rob soon finds out that Pinky can not have piglets and this makes him very angry. Rob is also informed that he needs to step up more and take on more responsibilities because his dad won't be around for much longer. Due to failed crops, Haven and Rob are forced to kill Pinky due to the lack of food and money that the Peck's have.
Climax: Rob finds that his dad dead and immediately he takes full responsibility by making funeral arrangements and taking care of the farm.
Falling Action: After Haven's death, Rob makes funeral arrangements and Haven is given a very nice and thoughtful funeral by the people who love him the most. Rob becomes a man right away by taking over the jobs of his father. On this day, Rob grew up and became a man.
Resolution: Rob accepts the death of his father and Pinky. He goes to his fathers grave and promises him to take care of his mom and Aunt Carrie. He promises to do the jobs that he would've done. Rob finally becomes a man.
Rising Action: Rob helps Apron, the neighbor's cow, give birth to two baby bulls on his way home from school. During the process of helping Apron, Rob receives multiple injuries leaving him bedridden for a week. Farmer Tanner, the Peck's neighbor, shows his gratitude and thanks to Rob by giving him a baby pig. While building a pen for Pinky, Rob's pigs, Rob and his dad, Haven, talk about life and how you have to deal with the cards that you are given. Rob also learns that his dad can't vote because he can't read or write, so that is why Rob gets harped on so much when it comes to reading and writing. On a warm, April day, Pinky and Rob go on an adventure in the woods. Pinky becomes fascinated with butternuts and frogs. Rob's mom later called Rob and Pinky back to the barn to watch the birth of his cat's kittens. Rob receives his report card in the mail and he gets a D in English, so Aunt Matty decides to tutor him in English. This, however, does not go over very well. One day, Rob and Pinky are laying in a cloverfield when they see a hawk circle the sky and scoop down and kill it's prey. This very much symbolizes how Pinky is going to eventually be slaughtered by Haven. Rob wanted to take Pinky to the Rutland fair, so Farmer Tanner offers to take him along after Widow Bascom mentions it. Rob helps Farmer Tanner by showing his bulls and then goes and shows Pinky, but because of the smell of pig manure Rob gets sick all over the judges shoes. Although, Pinky wins best-behaved pig. Rob soon finds out that Pinky can not have piglets and this makes him very angry. Rob is also informed that he needs to step up more and take on more responsibilities because his dad won't be around for much longer. Due to failed crops, Haven and Rob are forced to kill Pinky due to the lack of food and money that the Peck's have.
Climax: Rob finds that his dad dead and immediately he takes full responsibility by making funeral arrangements and taking care of the farm.
Falling Action: After Haven's death, Rob makes funeral arrangements and Haven is given a very nice and thoughtful funeral by the people who love him the most. Rob becomes a man right away by taking over the jobs of his father. On this day, Rob grew up and became a man.
Resolution: Rob accepts the death of his father and Pinky. He goes to his fathers grave and promises him to take care of his mom and Aunt Carrie. He promises to do the jobs that he would've done. Rob finally becomes a man.
Characterization
Robert Peck: Rob is a round, dynamic character. Rob is round because the book is told from his point of view. The book is based on how Robert Peck is not able to be a kid, but how he has to grow up and become a man. Robert Peck is also a dynamic character because he changes throughout the story. At the beginning, he is just a kid, but as the story goes on Rob grows into a hard-working young man.
Haven Peck: Haven is also a round character, but he is also a static character. Haven is a round character because we learn many things about him and many things from him. Haven is Rob's father, so of course he plays a big part in Rob's life. Haven is a static character, because unlike Rob he has already lived his life and so there is not much changing left to do.
Pinky Peck: Pinky is a round, dynamic character just like Rob. Pinky is a round character because he is in almost every aspect of the story. As soon as Rob received Pinky as a gift, Pinky never left Rob's sight. They became best friends. Pinky is also a dynamic character because he changes throughout the story. Pinky gets bigger and bigger and means a lot more to Rob as the story goes on.
Themes
Family: I believe that family played a huge roll in this book's theme. The whole story was based upon how Rob's family came together and worked with each other when they were faced with hard times.
Friendships: Throughout the story, Rob is always making new friends. He was such a kind and generous young man that he made friends very easily.
Isolation: When Haven and Pinky are both dead, Rob felt isolated from the world. He no longer had his best friend or his father to keep him company or to give him good advice. Rob was isolated.
Coming of Age: Rob has no choice but to grow up. His father dies when he is only 12 and there is no one else around to take care of the farm or his family, so Rob has to grow up and do it.
Death: Death is a recurring theme in the book. I learned from the book that no matter what death will always be apart of life and that we just need to learn to accept it.
Acceptance: Part of coming of age and growing up is accepting the fact that you are getting older and that you have many more responsibilities. At the age of 12 Rob experiences much more than most 12 year olds do, so he has to accept what happens. Rob definitely grows up.
Motifs
Birth and Reproduction: All throughout the book, birth and reproduction play a huge part. This book taught me so much about life, especially about birth and reproduction and death.
Favors: Favors are a huge part of ADNPWD. They are a huge part of ADNPWD because back then people didn't like to be given things without paying the other person for it.
Death: Throughout the book, death is recurring. It shows up in random spots all throughout the book. Death is a part of the book because it is a very important part of life. No matter what, death will always be a part of our world.
Religion: ADNPWD is based off the Shaker religion and that is why the Peck's are limited to so many things. The Shaker religion occurs multiple times throughout the book.
Symbols
Haven's Signature: I believe that Haven's signature was a very important symbol in the book. All throughout the book, we were told that Haven was illiterate and was never able to write his name. At the end of the story, Rob finds a piece of paper with Haven's signature on it. The piece of
Pinky: I think that Pinky is a symbol of friendship and family. Pinky was basically Rob's only friend and because of that, Rob and Pinky became best friends. After a while, I just thought of Pinky as Rob's brother.
Tone
I think that the tone that the author gave us is a serious, yet comforting and caring one. At times, the author portrayed things that needed to be looked at and talked about in a serious and mature way. Although, the author also portrayed things in a comforting and caring tone. The author made me feel as if I was part of the story and I felt as if he was just another one of my teachers. This author taught me more than anything. He had all of the qualities of a teacher, and the tone of this book is what makes him feel just as if he was another one of my teachers.
Mood
There is not just one mood portrayed in this book. I found two: happiness and sadness. I thought that happiness was a mood portrayed in ADNPWD because Rob was a kid and he had fun the majority of the time, just like any other kid would. Happiness was portrayed when Rob and Pinky went to the fair, when Rob received praise from his father, on Rob and Pinky's adventures, and etc. There were so many times that the mood of the story was portrayed in happiness, yet there were also times when it was sad. Sadness was also a part of a mood of ADNPWD because there were many times that were sad. Times of sadness would include: the death of Ira's dog and both the death of Pinky and Haven. The sadness portrayed in this book made me cry quite a few times. I love the way this book was written and I would recommend it to anyone!