| Plot Summary of Homecoming |
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"Dicey and her three younger siblings are traveling with their mother to their cousin's home in Bridgeport, CT. Dicey's mother has lost her job in Providence, RI where they had been prevously living and they were on their way to seek help from their cousin. During the long drive Dicey's mother pulls into a shopping mall, tells her children to wait in the car, and goes inside. Dicey and her siblings wait for a few hours but their mother does not return as promised. Dicey then decides to take the matter into her own hands.
After many long hours of walking along highways and overcoming problems such as a shortage of money, little food, and sickness, Dicey and her family finally reach their cousin's home in Bridgeport.
They find,however, that the cousin is no longer living but her daughter, Cousin Eunice, is there in her place. Dicey and her siblings hope that they will find refuge in their cousin's home, but new problems arise, forcing them to journey to Southern Maryland to her grandmother's farm.
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Rebecca Straus, Resident Scholar
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" Dicey Tillerman and her three other siblings, James, Sammy, and Maybeth are abandoned in a mall parking lot by their mother. With their mother and father gone from their lives, they decide to set off to their Great-aunt Cilla, who lives all the way in Bridgeport, miles away. With only a map and a few dollars, the four Tillermans cross through cities and scrape up pennies and jobs. When they finally get to Cilla's house, they realize she had died so they live with her daughter, Cousin Eunice.
Even with a proper home and guardian, the children aren't satisfied with Eunice, a woman who thinks she's only doing a duty and doesn't really want them. Once again, they're off, this time to the only family member they know is left. In Maryland, their grandmother, Abigail Tillerman, lives in an old farm by Chesapeake Bay. Full of hope, the Tillermans make their way to their grandmother. Finally, they know this is the right place. "
Mai Tsuji, Resident Scholar
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" After losing her job and single-handedly raising four children, their mother just broke down. Her mind just stopped. And she never came back. Leaving the children alone in the car alone on a hot summer day, worried and frightened, but still awaiting her return. A whole day and long night went by and still nothing. The only thing to do was the only thing they would do to stay together. So Dicey, the eldest child or four, lightened their load and set off to join a family none have them have ever known, but family nonetheless.
Underestimating how far it really was to aunt Cilla's house, dicey got a lot of problems from her younger siblings James, 10, Maybeth, 9, and Sammy, 6, who didn't even want to go in the first place. Traveling at the speed of ten miles per day on foot caused financial problems, especially since they only had about seven dollars, and wasted a large percent of it on impractical food and drink. Luckily for them Dicey was able to read a map, and was able to find shelter. Dicey was even able to find small odd jobs to raise a small amount of money so they could still eat. The Tillermens never steal, so it is said but that trait skipped little Sammy who felt the need to provide for his hungry family.
Arriving in a college town there was no where to sleep, Dicey his her family under a bush in the park, and sobbed for them for not being warm and taken care of. When a dark figure sat next to her she didn't know what to think, and when he asked to help her she was even more confused, hesitating at first but then decided her family needs a place to stay.
“Are you alone?” Asked the stranger to Dicey.
“No I have my family with me,” Dicey shyfully stated.
This was the best decision Dicey could make for her family. They were fed, washed, and well rested. They were even offered a ride to their great aunt's house. They were very grateful, but James didn't quite know how to make up for stealing the money from Stewart, the one who was helping them. After apologizing repeatedly they were forgiven and sang with Stewart.
By that night, after playing at the beach, they arrived at their aunt's house. Nothing. So they waited, and waited until a shrill small woman with large curls walks past them into the house. Confused they wait for her to speak to them. And she walks by again.
“Excuse me, but what do you want?” the little woman in black seemed frightened.
“We're the Tillermens, we're looking for our great aunt Cilla, and we were hoping you might be her.” Dicey replied.
This seemed to calm her and she let them inside and told them that she was their cousin Eunice and her mother had been dead for some time.
Staying there was a bad idea. James was getting a good education. But Maybeth and Sammy were having trouble in their schooling, and Dicey wasn't enjoying doing chores for Cousin Eunice. After receiving a check for the car they had abandoned in Peewauket, Dicey got a few odd jobs washing windows. After getting enough money to travel to Crisfeild to see her grandmother, she takes the children to the summer school at the covenant the Father had them attend. After packing Dicey was almost set,but there was a few tag alongs, to grandmothers house they went.
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Dani Wilson, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Homecoming |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- thoughtful
Time/era of story
- 1960's-1970's
Kids growing up/acting up?
Yes
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Age 11-14
Age group of kid(s) in story:
- grade school
Parents/lack of parents problem?
- orphan story
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- unemployed
Age:
- a teen
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- none
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- throughout most of the book.
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 5 (an average amount)
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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