Knowledge Titles play the important role of catching the readers’ attention, delivering a point, and revealing a significant meaning. In Jane Smiley’s book, A Thousand Acres, the title represents the thousand acres of land that Ginny’s dad owns. The thousand acres represents more than just land. It symbolizes their livelihood, their salvation, and helped them grow into the people they are presently. However, this land tears their family apart through dominance and discrepancy which destroys the loving bond that their family once had. Farming was how people made a living in the small county of Zebulon during the 1970s. Larry Cook, Ginny’s dad, owns a thousand acres which provides their food and money. Her father decides to start a corporation
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He turns into an angry drunk that is out of control. So far, this land has ruined relationships and hurt people, but no one can fathom what other tragedies this land will bring. Ginny’s husband Ty doesn’t understand her feelings about the situation and doesn’t support her opinion. This promotes her secret love for Jess Clark. Ginny then discovers that Larry abused Rose when she was a teenager. Relationships between the family members are weakening and Ginny doesn’t understand why they cannot, “All stick together instead of getting suspicious of each other.” (Smiley, Jane 100). Later on, Ginny and Roses’ lawyer informs them that their father plans on suing them to get the farm back with Caroline’s help. They are devastated that their family has betrayed each other like this. Rose and Ginny end up winning and get to keep the land, but overall they lost. They lost bonds, friends, husbands, and peace. They realized that, “It hurt [them] more than [they] had expected it to.” (Smiley, Jane 303). Five days after the lawsuit Larry dies. Ginny leaves Ty and moves away to escape the grief. Her situation becomes worse when she learns that Rose’s cancer has come back, eventually leading to her death. Ginny and Caroline attempt to meet up to work their problems out and divide the belongings but they end up arguing. Ginny decided to auction off everything. The thousand
He turns into an angry drunk that is out of control. So far, this land has ruined relationships and hurt people, but no one can fathom what other tragedies this land will bring. Ginny’s husband Ty doesn’t understand her feelings about the situation and doesn’t support her opinion. This promotes her secret love for Jess Clark. Ginny then discovers that Larry abused Rose when she was a teenager. Relationships between the family members are weakening and Ginny doesn’t understand why they cannot, “All stick together instead of getting suspicious of each other.” (Smiley, Jane 100). Later on, Ginny and Roses’ lawyer informs them that their father plans on suing them to get the farm back with Caroline’s help. They are devastated that their family has betrayed each other like this. Rose and Ginny end up winning and get to keep the land, but overall they lost. They lost bonds, friends, husbands, and peace. They realized that, “It hurt [them] more than [they] had expected it to.” (Smiley, Jane 303). Five days after the lawsuit Larry dies. Ginny leaves Ty and moves away to escape the grief. Her situation becomes worse when she learns that Rose’s cancer has come back, eventually leading to her death. Ginny and Caroline attempt to meet up to work their problems out and divide the belongings but they end up arguing. Ginny decided to auction off everything. The thousand