106 pages • 3 hours read
The Seventh Most Important Thing
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BetaChapter 51-Seven Years LaterChapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 51 Summary
On Arthur’s 14th birthday, he goes to a baseball game with Roger and his family, which is “a lot more fun than Arthur thought it would be” (253). It’s such a good birthday that Arthur saves his ticket from the game. Even though his dad wasn’t there, Arthur wants to remember the day.
Chapter 52 Summary
Right before the 4th of July, Officer Billie calls to tell Arthur the museum wants to acquire Mr. Hampton’s sculpture. They won’t display it right away, and it will go into storage. Arthur is disappointed the art isn’t going “to a place where people could see it” (257), but he’s glad he won’t have to worry about losing the art forever.
Chapter 53 Summary
Arthur tells Squeak that Mr. Hampton’s art is going into storage at the museum. Squeak is a lot more excited than Arthur. Arthur says it isn’t big deal, since the art won’t be on display, but Squeak argues that storage is “better than sitting in an old garage in an alley” (260). Arthur doesn’t agree, but he says nothing.
“The Seventh Important Thing” Summary
Though the judge lets Arthur out of his probation for good behavior, Arthur takes one final trip to the garage. It’s a warm summer day that Arthur thinks is “a great day for collecting the Seven Most Important Things” (261). Inside, the garage is empty, and Arthur wonders if he imagined the entire sculpture. He sees a few boxes of leftover trash and Mr. Hampton’s grocery cart. Arthur takes the cart home because he can’t bear to “leave the rust-bucket cart behind” after everything that happened (263).
Arthur goes to leave but sees a piece of cardboard in the middle of the floor. He picks it up. It reads: “Fear not,” which Arthur feels is a final message from Mr. Hampton.
“Seven Years Later” Summary
This chapter finds Arthur at 21 years old. His mother married Roger four years ago. Tonight, Arthur and his family are going to the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Mr. Hampton’s art exhibit at the museum. So much has happened since Arthur helped collect the seven important things. Thinking back on that time, “it didn’t even feel like his own life” (269)
After cutting the ribbon, Arthur leads the guests inside. He’s afraid the sculpture won’t be as grand as it was seven years ago, but his fears are for nothing. Mr. Hampton’s work is “far better, far more beautiful, than he remembered” (271).
Later that night, Arthur leaves the exhibit with his family. He watches a flock of pigeons fly into the sky, which gets him thinking about his dad and Mr. Hampton. He remembers Mr. Hampton’s words about how all angels are different and how “it all depends on the wings” (273).
Chapter 51-“Seven Years Later” Analysis
Arthur experiences the world differently after the culmination of his emotional growth. Despite not wanting to go, Arthur enjoys the baseball game on his birthday. Roger is there, instead of Arthur’s dad, but Arthur doesn’t mind. He’s settling into his new family and learning to enjoy life in the wake of death. This is Arthur’s 14th birthday (a multiple of seven) and a nearly perfect day, which reflects seven being the number of perfection.
Arthur’s mindset is completely different on his final trip to the garage. At his initial probation session, Arthur got annoyed and frustrated by not being able to find the address and not understanding Mr. Hampton’s assignment. Now, Arthur reflects on what a perfect day it would be to collect trash. Arthur has released his anger and sorrow. As a result, he appreciates little things and views the world through a lens of opportunity, rather than loss. The cardboard note Arthur finds symbolizes Mr. Hampton’s final message and the last thing Arthur must learn to do in order to complete his transformation: “fear not.”
In “Seven Years Later,” Arthur thinks about how the events of the main story feel like a different lifetime. He has changed so much in seven years. Arthur is comfortable in his skin. He sees similarities between himself and his dad. Rather than hoping no one notices those similarities, he embraces them, not caring if other people don’t like them. Arthur no longer views his self-worth in terms of others’ opinions.
The final image of pigeons harkens back to Mr. Hampton’s discussion of wings. Mr. Hampton specifically compared some angels to pigeons, and the appearance of the birds suggests angels came to partake in the sculpture’s grand opening. It’s possible Mr. Hampton and Arthur’s dad are among those pigeons. The flock taking off represents the angels going back to their respective versions of heaven, ending the book on an uplifting note.
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