A strong theme seen within the people in Ozark is the use of family morals. Religion is not mentioned strongly in this book as a code to live by, but rather it can be seen that the use of family morals is a driving force on how people act. These morals include the way that the people within a family or bloodline are expected to act.
A strong example of these family morals include Ree’s communication with the police regarding her dad’s location. When the police officer originally comes to ask Ree of her dad, Jessup’s location, she immediately becomes hostile and refuses to share information that she does not have, but wouldn't share even if she did (Woodrell 14). Even when the police officer tells her that her family will lose her house if he doesn’t turn up or the police aren't able to locate him, she responds with “‘I’ll find him’” (Woodrell 15). Though Jessup is not painted as a good father, and it would be in Ree’s best interest for him to be found by the police, she still refuses to share any information with them, and sets out to find him herself. By doing this, she prevents being labeled as a snitch, and upholds the family morals to protect her family, regardless of the consequences.
During Ree’s search for Jessup, she tries to enlist the help of Thump Milton. Though he is notoriously hard to reach or talk to, Ree attempts to use their similar bloodline to convince him to help her. When he eventually refused to help, she asked if “‘blood don't truly count for diddly to the big man’” (Woodrell 63). By referring to Milton as “the big man” when critiquing him for not acknowledging bloodline as a reason to help her, Ree is critiquing his disregard of family morals. These morals are incredibly important to this community and not following them makes a person seem like they have a superiority complex.
Family morals cause the people in the Ozarks to care strongly for one another as well. When Teardrop, Ree’s uncle, was rescuing her from being further beat up by other Miltons, he said it was because “‘she’s my niece, and she’s damn near about all the family I got left’” (Woodrell 137). This sense of protection over the bloodline represents the care that people in the Ozarks have for one another, especially if blood is included. This care can be seen in the was Ree acts with her siblings. When her house is being threatened which would leave Ree and her family homeless, a more distant family member of hers offers to take in her younger siblings. Though this would help her siblings to a more stable life in many aspects, Ree refused, angrily stating that “‘Sonny’n Harold’ll die livin’ in a fuckin’ cave with me’n Mom before they’ll ever spend a single fuckin’ night with you’” (Woodrell 77). This sense of protection is a strong representation of the family morals that Ree and others in the Ozarks live by. She doesn't want her siblings growing up meth heads or making meth, and wants her own morals, not others, rubbing off on them.
Family morals drive the way that the people in the Ozarks live, directing their decision making as well as the way they act towards those family members they truly care about. Though religion is not large in this story, the use of family morals is seen as a strong replacement.
Maya,
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting theme I had not yet considered when reading the novel. I think Ree has a strong sense of loyalty and moral code toward her family, even when it is not upheld as strictly by other family members. While the Dolly family living in the valley is fairly close-knit, providing food and game to other extended family members, there are times where the men are violent and unhelpful to Ree’s mission. No matter how many times her father has left the family and been absent for Ree’s adolescence, she still recognizes the importance of finding him to preserve the safety for the rest of her family living on the land up for bond. Throughout her journey visiting several family members, she encounters people that could be disliked or frowned upon by the reader. Uncle Teardrop’s crack injuries, paired with other family members’ drug addictions and abuse, characterize them as lawless men in the town. Ree stays loyal to them nonetheless.
Uncle Teardrop warns Ree to stay away from the Dollys living in Hawkfall, but this does not prevent her from reaching out to anyone she can access by kinship who may have information about her father’s whereabouts. As you noted, she defends her brothers from accusations with the law, and she upholds a moral code to protect her immediate family with her life and her tireless labor. Through both intention and action, she does an excellent job of showing what it means to be true to one’s family.
The strong familial bonds in this community also impede any attempts to investigate what is going on within it. As it is obvious that this community lives rather outside of the law, they have developed with time a system designed to make it difficult for outsiders – or in Ree’s case, individuals on their own periphery, to make sense of what happens within. This manifests in both the names given to the children, presumably to make it difficult for the law to keep track of who exactly performed a bad deed, and the endless stonewalling that Ree encounters when trying to question members of her community on her father’s whereabouts.
ReplyDeleteThere are undeniably strong familial bonds between Ree’s family and other Dollys, as seen in the giving of meat and other support her branch has received from the others. However, factionalism is also evident in this close knit community – Teardrop and Thump Milton warn Ree to stop investigating, and others try to throw her off by showing her burnt out meth houses as a decoy. While familial values are obviously very important to the people living in this area, there are those each individual considers “more” family than others.
Women may not necessarily be included in this group of individuals the men consider closer to them. Ree’s womanhood is mentioned many times in the novel, usually as a drawback that keeps powerful men from considering her words seriously. They exist further along the periphery of the system than the men, even when living in their own homes.
I agree with your statement that in this book family morals are seen as a code to live by. While religion does not play a huge role and the Dolly’s origin story is still hard to understand, their morals are clear and exhibited repeatedly throughout the book. One of these morals is best described by Teardrop: “‘Jessup went’n turned snitch, and that’s only the biggest ancient no-no of all, ain’t it?’” (140). It is clear that Jessup is punished for breaking this moral code with his murder. However, these morals are enforced so strongly that Ree and her brothers also pay the consequences for him. Ree questions, “‘That’s why everybody sort of shuns us a little bit now, ain’t it?’” (149). One moral you mentioned is that blood always helps each other out. The only explanation for ignoring this moral is Jessup’s breaking of another. Not all family members react the same way and those that are closer to Ree continue to help her out. But, there is an obvious divide among relations on how to respond. Jessup’s death again enforces how strictly important this moral code is to those who follow it. He is murdered for violating the code, a punishment that few actual crimes hold. While Winter’s Bone lacks religion, the Dolly’s follow their family morals religiously.
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