Chapter 22 Summary

Back in Susan Lowenstein's office, Tom relates the events of that day. He begins by showing a happy family, when Lila presents gifts to her children - a gold pen for Savannah and sport jackets she has made herself for Luke and Tom. He tells of their graduation, the three of them sitting together with great aspirations for the future. Savannah, the high school valedictorian, is planning to go to New York and become a writer. Tom is off to college to study teaching. Luke plans to be a shrimper like his father. All of the dysfunction of the family seems to have been outgrown, but in a conversation Luke, Savannah and Tom have by the river while drinking Wild Turkey bourbon, Savannah admits she still sees and hears things.

A last tender moment in the family occurs after graduation. It is Lila's...