Summary

The short chapter "The Infernal Voices of Reason" covers the effects that the stock market crash of 1929 (a non-fictive, historical event) has on the Chisolm family. This means that Jane is now 14 years old. Since the prices for so many things on the farm drop significantly, Sylvester puts an increased focus on his distilling and other alcohol making. Although he attempts to drink less himself, he in fact begins to drink even more, and starts talking to himself on the ride to and from town with increased frequency. He also takes up the habit of chain-smoking cigarettes, with Jane rolling the cigarettes for him.

The chapter title "Essentially Normal" refers to Jane's more or less normal adolescence in this same time period, where she begins to feel an increasing attraction to boys, and also begins to have...