A Long Way From Chicago: Character Analysis
When most people think of their Grandma, they think of a sweet, loving, good-time, lady-like woman. However, Grandma Dowdel, in A Long Way from Chicago, is no average grandma. In this book, Joey and Mary Alice Dowdel journey from Chicago to their Grandma Dowdel’s for a week every summer from 1929-1935. They experience new things every summer and learn that their grandmother is anything but normal. Grandma Dowdel does not always follow the rules of the law or society, but her grandchildren learn, under her gruff exterior, she is truly a good-hearted person. An example of Grandma Dowdels unexpected kindness is in chapter three where she feeds the old widow who took her in as a child, aunt puss chapman And helping men who can't help themselves.the
first shocking surprise in chapter three is when grandma takes the catfish to aunt puss chapman and feed her in return of aunt puss feeding her and giving her a place to stay for her childhood. Another instance of Grandma's unforeseen benevolence is her feeding the wandering drifters with the catfish she caught using the rod and gun clubs traps.
In chapter 6 of A Long Way from Chicago Grandma dowdel assists mary alice when she hides Vandalia Eubanks from her sinister mother, Miz Eubanks. Mary Alice hides her in the attic so that vandalia can leave with J.R. stubbs on the train. Grandma conspires a plot to get them on the train without any of the townspeople witnessing the endeavour. Joey dresses up as the phantom brakeman and stops the wabash blue bird dead in its tracks. Once the train stopped Vandalia and J.R. hop on and ride away. This proves that grandma cares about other people,even if they haven't done anything for her.
Ordinarily most grandmothers wouldn't be caught dead doing some of the things Grandma Dowdel did in this book.Grandma dowdel doesn't care about seeming ¨lady-like¨ or ¨cordial¨. She doesn't care about what other people think of her either. But her grandchildren see right through that calloused layer of toughness straight into her warm and loving heart.
first shocking surprise in chapter three is when grandma takes the catfish to aunt puss chapman and feed her in return of aunt puss feeding her and giving her a place to stay for her childhood. Another instance of Grandma's unforeseen benevolence is her feeding the wandering drifters with the catfish she caught using the rod and gun clubs traps.
In chapter 6 of A Long Way from Chicago Grandma dowdel assists mary alice when she hides Vandalia Eubanks from her sinister mother, Miz Eubanks. Mary Alice hides her in the attic so that vandalia can leave with J.R. stubbs on the train. Grandma conspires a plot to get them on the train without any of the townspeople witnessing the endeavour. Joey dresses up as the phantom brakeman and stops the wabash blue bird dead in its tracks. Once the train stopped Vandalia and J.R. hop on and ride away. This proves that grandma cares about other people,even if they haven't done anything for her.
Ordinarily most grandmothers wouldn't be caught dead doing some of the things Grandma Dowdel did in this book.Grandma dowdel doesn't care about seeming ¨lady-like¨ or ¨cordial¨. She doesn't care about what other people think of her either. But her grandchildren see right through that calloused layer of toughness straight into her warm and loving heart.