In Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone, Ree Dolly proves herself to be a determined and mature caretaker for her younger brothers in the harsh landscape of Rathlin Valley. Although she is only sixteen, Ree takes on the multitude of responsibilities that come with caring for her two brothers, Sonny and Harold, as well as her mother who is struggling from mental illness. The novel demonstrates the harsh reality of poverty in a tight-knit rural community, all the while showcasing the challenges Ree faces as she struggles to keep her family together and safe.
Ree's maturity is crucial to her practical approach to survival. When she is faced with the imminent loss of their home due to her father’s disappearance, Ree scours and investigates her community in hope of locating him. In this chase, she demonstrates both her resourcefulness and determination to provide stability for her brothers and mother. In her world, poverty and familial hardships are the norm, and Ree's commitment to her siblings and mother reflects her maturity beyond her years.
As the oldest child, Ree passes on essential life skills to Sonny and Harold. She teaches them how to trap, hunt, and cook so they can care for themselves without parental guidance. For example, Ree teaches her younger brothers how to hunt and skin squirrels because it is “[e]asy meat for the table with naught but silence and a small bullet required” (Woordell, 102). These lessons go beyond survival as they symbolize Ree's commitment to instilling a sense of normalcy for her brothers in the face of extreme difficulty. Ree's role as Sonny and Harold’s older sister is not limited to practical skills as she also provides valuable life lessons, emphasizing the importance of self-sufficiency.
Ree's tenderness toward her brothers is revealed in quick, subtle moments of vulnerability. Despite the tough exterior she puts on to tackle the challenges of her situation, Ree's love for Sonny and Harold shines through. Her “grand hope [is] that these boys would not be dead to wonder by age twelve, dulled to life, empty of kindness, boiling with mean [because] [s]o many Dolly kids were that way, ruined before they had chin hair” (8). She fears for their well-being and her tenderness motivates her to continue to push through the world.
Ree Dolly is a mature caretaker and teacher in Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone. Through her use of practical skills, resilience, and tenderness, Ree ensures the survival of her family and imparts valuable life lessons to her younger brothers. She demonstrates the strength and determination she has in facing extreme difficulty in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
You painted a very accurate picture of Ree Dolly through your blogpost, highlighting her solidarity and resilience. She has to protect her siblings from their cruel reality. Her protective instincts are, like you said, a product of her surroundings. She is in a constant state of survival, so she thinks showing emotion is a sign of weakness. In fact, “she would never cry where her tears might be seen and counted against her” (26). Yet, her hardcore composure does not impede her from showing affection to her siblings. As you very well explain in your blog, her devotion is shown through teachings that plant self-defense and survival to them. When teaching them how to hunt and shoot, she did it for a serious matter. Yet, she didn’t break the boys’ excitement and childhood innocence. They don’t yet comprehend the truth behind the initiative and the hardships that hide behind it as “[they] bounced to [the activity] with glee” (78).
ReplyDeleteRee’s maturity and solidarity are displayed through her caring for her mom. What happened to her mother is never revealed, but she is clearly indisposed, leaving Ree to take care of her and her siblings. She is tasked with an immense responsibility that might be received as a burden for any typical teenager. Still, she only shows tenderness and dedication when caring for her mom.
I agree with your sentiment regarding Ree’s showing of affection through the lessons she teaches Sonny and Harold, and their shared moments together. I believe this shows the true nature of the community and environment Ree and her family live in, as survival is never guaranteed and is a central part of their daily lives. Ree’s dedication to her family’s well-being and survival shows her selfless nature, from the lessons she teaches to her brothers to the way she remains resilient in keeping the land that has kept her family alive for generations. Despite her dreams of joining the U.S. army and having “concerns of her own,” Ree knows she could never leave her mother and brothers behind, and remains dedicated to ensuring their survival throughout the novel (Woodrell 15). I also picked up on the tender nature that Ree regards her brothers with. She nurtures her family in a purposeful way that mimics their environment while preparing them for lives without her. The last thing Ree wants is for her family to succumb to their harsh surroundings. Despite her belief that “love and hate hold hands always,” (42) Ree knows that her brothers deserve a benevolent mentor who will show them the ropes of survival in the Arkansas Valley, and that her mother deserves someone who understands and protects her inexplicably declining mental state.
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