Chapter Seven Summary

Tom does not approve of Ginny's Pentecostal leanings and stiffens whenever she talks about religion around him. She tries to lure him to attend a revival with her, but he grows angry and silent no matter how hard she tries. She quotes Bible verses to him about the value of these revivals, but she snaps back with sarcastic comments or worse, silence. Tom thinks revival meetings encourage people to act like drunken fools. He remembers the Happyland Colony from his childhood: near to his home, a group of freed slaves started a colony that would worship with loud songs and dancing, speaking in tongues and prophesying. He also recalls blood and skulls, like voodoo and women taking off their clothes to dance naked around his house. Even though his mother warned him to stay away from those people, Tom snuck out...