Stepping on the Cracks

Margaret grapples with issues of moral ambiguity as she questions her own certitude about the war and Mother’s indifference to the abuse at the Smith home. Gordy’s dysfunctional family life further complicates Margaret’s heretofore cut-and-dry definition of cowardice. In this section, Margaret also shows greater independence in her thoughts and actions, revealing a maturing sense of self-reflection and empathy.

Elizabeth voices the common opinion of wartime deserters when she initially labels Stuart a “dirty coward deserter” (74). She espouses the unequivocal viewpoint that the war is justified, and that as the Americans and their allies hold the morally superior position, every man’s duty is to fight. Stuart represents the pacifist position. He believes fighting and killing are morally wrong—for both sides. Faced with these two moral absolutes, Margaret is conflicted. She questions how Jimmy could kill anyone, even for a “good cause.” Margaret also knows that Stuart is the “good” Smith: Both Mother and Daddy praise the work ethic Stuart demonstrated as a paperboy, and Gordy reveals that Stuart has often protected his siblings from their father’s violence, exhibiting courage and bravery rather than cowardice. Margaret sees that Stuart is a good person acting contrary to the law and to what she believes is right, and this apparent contradiction confuses her.

Margaret also observes that Gordy disagrees with Stuart’s views but nonetheless supports him out of familial love. In contrast, Mr. Smith shows how little love he has for Stuart by wishing him dead. Gordy reveals that he is the product of both Stuart’s and his father’s influence. Gordy’s quick temper often turns to violence: He raises his fists to hit Elizabeth but stops himself in time, becoming, Margaret thinks, teary-eyed. Gordy also takes on Stuart’s role as his siblings’ defender, assuring June that he will take care of her when she fears her father will hurt her. Margaret learns that Gordy—so long the girls’ one-dimensional enemy—is, like the war, more complicated than she thought.

The knowledge of the abuse in Gordy’s family becomes a burden for Margaret, stripping away some of her childlike innocence and moving her toward adult understanding. As she questions what is right and wrong, Margaret begins to form her own opinions despite her single-minded devotion to Elizabeth. Margaret rejects Elizabeth’s threat to turn in Stuart after they’ve promised not to tell—another sign Margaret is gaining independence. Although she still follows Elizabeth’s lead, Margaret empathizes with Stuart and can put herself in his position. She extrapolates that understanding to Jimmy, wishing she could talk with him about his feelings and beliefs—something she did not think about as a younger child. She even wonders what it would be like to be in Gordy’s shoes—a sign of Margaret’s growing emotional maturity.

Elizabeth’s character also experiences change. Her absolutist perspective on Stuart’s pacifism shifts when his illness worsens, though Margaret realizes that this passionate reversal is normal for her impulsive personality.

Prevalent again in this section is the motif of keeping secrets and minding one’s business. Keeping Stuart a secret troubles Margaret on multiple levels. It challenges her belief about the war and forces her to break family rules. Choosing to tell about the abuse she witnesses at Gordy’s house raises still more ethical uncertainty. Margaret, troubled by the knowledge of Mr. Smith’s violence, is confident that Mother will make the morally correct decision and take action to help. Margaret is confused that her mother not only does not plan to intervene but instead places more importance on not being a “busybody.” Coming from a loved one and an authority figure, this response bolsters Margaret’s growing awareness that right and wrong are not always clear-cut: While she believes that keeping Stuart a secret is morally right, she, unlike Mother, thinks that keeping Gordy’s abuse secret is wrong.

Hahn ends this section with dark foreshadowing. Margaret’s family has not received a letter from Jimmy for a while, and the family knows that Jimmy is probably fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. Readers may know that the Battle of the Bulge was the last major German offensive before the end of World War II. It was also the “biggest and deadliest single battle of World War II for American soldiers” (Ruane, Michael E. “On Christmas Eve in 1944, the Snow Turned Red with Blood.” Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2019). Almost 20,000 American soldiers were killed, over 47,000 were injured, and 23,000 were missing in action or captured (Ruane, “Christmas”). The battle was a turning point in the war but came at great cost for the United States. With this background knowledge, the reader understands that Jimmy’s chances of survival are slim.