Chapters 13 through 15 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 13: How the Heart Opens

Janisse's love of nature began with the pitcher plant. She studied it for a 4-H project. The plant made her fall in love with rain, look forward to downpours and welcome days of drizzle. A carnivorous plant, the pitcher plant made her understand that predation was an important part of nature.

Frank wasn't a nature lover per se, but he would do anything to save the life of an animal. Just like he fixed cars and appliances, he would "fix" animals. He tried to save a frog he stepped on by sewing it up. He administered pain killer to a dog hit on the road. Miraculously, the kids later saw it walking down the road with its owner. Frank whipped his own kids with his belt because they didn't stop a neighbor boy from...