Chapter 37: Before — Summary & Analysis
Spoiler Warning: This chapter contains a fatal accident involving a child. The content is emotionally intense.
Summary
The chapter opens with the oak tree on the farm being declared dead. Plans are made for a tree surgeon to take it down, but the job is delayed until summer. Bobby is distraught, wanting the tree to stay forever, but David gently persuades him that the tired old tree needs to come down. On the chosen Saturday, Bobby’s sadness turns to excitement. The men — David, Frank, and Jimmy — prepare for the felling, and Bobby peppers them with questions. Beth is nervous about safety and wants to cancel her outing with Helen, but Frank dismisses her worries, promising to keep a close eye on the boy. She leaves reluctantly. When she returns, the crown of the oak is already gone, and the trunk still stands. She cannot see Bobby and assumes he wandered off. Moments later, the trunk begins to fall with a great crack, and she spots Bobby running into its path. His joyful scream turns to terror as the tree crushes him. Frank, David, and Jimmy rush to help, but the massive trunk hides him. The men use a tractor winch to lift the tree, and Beth lies beside her son’s broken body, whispering that she is there.
Key Events
- The oak tree is pronounced dead; felling is scheduled.
- Bobby initially pleads to keep it, then accepts its removal.
- Beth fears for Bobby’s safety but is persuaded to go meet Helen.
- Beth returns early and sees the trunk fall on Bobby.
- Frank and David try hopelessly to lift the tree before using the tractor.
- When the trunk is raised, Beth sees Bobby’s body and wails.
- She lies down next to him, repeating her vow of presence.
Character Development
- Beth: Her maternal anxiety, dismissed by the men, proves tragically justified. Her refusal of Frank’s touch and her silent blame reveal a deep, immediate fracture. She transforms from a concerned mother into a figure of primal grief, haunted by the word “was.”
- Frank: His earlier lightheartedness and reassurance give way to horror and desperate apology. His failure to watch Bobby shatters not only his son but the foundation of his marriage.
- Bobby: A vivid, excited child who embodies innocence — his quick shift from joy to terror underlines the senselessness of the accident.
- David: The practical patriarch, he called the tree dead and helped fell it, but his gruff dismissal of Beth’s fears now implicates him in the tragedy.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- The Oak Tree: A symbol of the family’s history and longevity, its fated removal parallels Bobby’s sudden death. The tree’s “dead” status and its lethal fall make it both a victim and an instrument of devastation.
- Parental Vigilance and Broken Promises: Frank’s promise to keep Bobby safe is explicitly broken, and Beth’s instinct to stay home becomes the “what if” that will haunt them.
- Guilt and Blame: Beth’s immediate blame of Frank (“He promised me”) and his repeated apologies anchor the emotional fallout before the boy is even pronounced dead.
- The Motif of “I am here”: Beth’s repeated declaration — first screamed, then whispered — becomes her desperate attempt to offer comfort across the boundary of death, and a bitter echo of her earlier absence.
Why This Chapter Matters
This is the catastrophic turning point of the “Before” timeline. Bobby’s death is the central wound around which the novel’s grief, blame, and fractured relationships will revolve. The accident crystallizes every undercurrent of tension — Beth’s anxiety, Frank’s carelessness, the family’s differing priorities — into an irreparable tragedy. The oak tree’s felling, meant to be a routine farm task, becomes a marker of absolute loss. This chapter reframes everything that follows, as the echoes of this moment will reverberate through Beth’s actions and her very identity.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Beth refuse Frank’s touch after the accident?
She is overwhelmed by shock and grief, but more than that, she holds Frank responsible. He promised to watch Bobby, and his failure makes his comfort feel unbearable. Her physical recoil signals the instant rupture of trust. -
What does the oak tree symbolize in this chapter?
The oak stands for continuity and home — it has witnessed the family’s best years. Its death and lethal fall mirror Bobby’s fate: a beloved, sturdy presence suddenly becomes a crushing force of destruction. -
How does the chapter use contrast between Bobby’s earlier excitement and the outcome?
Bobby’s eager questions and “whoops” of delight create a bright, childish energy. The sudden shift from playful anticipation to a scream of fear and then silence sharpens the horror, illustrating how abruptly safety can dissolve into catastrophe.