Community in the Eyes of Vacca Vale

The idea of community in The Rabbit Hutch is intriguing; from the novel's start, it is clear that higher-ups in Vacca Vale are set on reforming the community and urbanizing a dying city. The novel mentions the top 10 dying cities list that Vacca Vale earned a spot on, catalyzing the push for an urbanization plan. Despite their blueprints to create a new, vibrant city, their efforts are misplaced. The core of the issue lies in wealth inequality. They can build new and shiny buildings and start new businesses, but without addressing the striking wealth inequality, their city will not be truly successful. 

Through Blandine’s perspective, the reader sees hints of the new city when she is on the phone with her teacher and sees signs in the valley of new apartments being built and at the beginning of the novel when Blandine hijacks the dinner. Though, from the perspective of living in South Bend today, I see the effects of gentrification, and I see significant similarities between The Rabbit Hutch and modern-day South Bend. For example, the rich suburbs are more developed than ever before. The way Blandine describes Mr. Yager’s house in contrast to the suburbs is also incredibly accurate. Rich people in South Bend were and continue to be separated from the rest of the community. They typically live in historical houses like Mr. Yager’s that are downtown, with luscious decorations and antique, spacious rooms, or north of town, in suburbs like what Blandine describes. Rich and poor do not intermingle. Despite the new streets, river lights, and a flourishing downtown, the entire west side of South Bend continues to fall prey to poverty with no end in sight. Mayors and articles turn a blind eye to the striking contrast between rich and poor. Blandine depicts South Bend’s turning point, as they consider different plans to revive the city. Even during this step, the reader observes the lack of social programs or attempts to jump-start the poorer communities. Instead, they hope that stimulating the economy will fix everyone’s issues. 

Blandine focuses mainly on the adverse effects of urbanization in that they planned to cut down trees and ruin forests. Because I do not have memories of South Bend before urbanization, I cannot add to her disdain; however, South Bend is extremely liberal and the city has mobilized several significant efforts to sustain the environment. That being said, the novel’s commentary on the community that Vacca Vale’s leadership imagines is cynical, and for good reason, because the word “community” revolves around people and Vacca Vale’s plan did not revolve around people. It vowed to satisfy capitalism.