The Bell Bandit

“It was because of the fire that they weren’t even sure if they would be staying at Grandma’s for New Year’s Eve the way they did every year. And that was the really big thing that was different this year.”

This early quote establishes that navigating change and difference will be an ongoing challenge for Jessie and Evan. This quote illustrates how growing up necessitates change, which can be uncomfortable when it conflicts with familiarity or expectations. This quote, in which Jessie points out the differences in the year’s trip versus previous years, emphasizes how jarring and destabilizing it can be for young people when routines and expectations change. Jessie implies that when a life-altering event, such as a house fire, occurs, its effects ripple through all aspects of life and contribute to a sense of difference and change.

“They had swung the rope back and forth, over and over, until the noise of the bell filled the snow-covered valley below and the echoes of each peal bounced off Black Bear Mountain and came racing back to them, like an old faithful dog that always comes home.”

Jessie describes the beloved town tradition of ringing the bell on Lovell’s Hill at midnight. The quote illustrates the picturesque scene, contrasting the quiet of the snow-covered valley at midnight with the wild and joyous peal of the bell. She describes the echoing sound of the bell as an “old faithful dog” that always returns home to its owner. This simile evokes the comfort, familiarity, and stability that the tradition instills in Jessie and the other participants. Because the tradition takes place on the cusp of a new year, it grounds Jessie and the other community members in a sense of belonging and certainty that enables them to approach the new year with excitement rather than trepidation.