Chapter 28: Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

⚠️ This summary and analysis contains major plot details from The Drowning Kind, including events from Chapter Twenty-Eight. If you haven't read the book yet, you may want to do so before continuing.

Summary

February 11, 1931 – The chapter opens on Maggie's first birthday in Lanesborough, New Hampshire. Ethel has baked a vanilla cake with buttercream icing, and Will has made paper hats for the family. They dance around the kitchen, and Maggie laughs uncontrollably, especially when Will pretends to fall. Will sings a silly song about a little girl who is a bird flying to the moon, and Maggie listens with wide eyes, looking up at the ceiling as if she can see the stars.

Maggie wears a new pink dress Ethel sewed herself. Will calls her a cherub and marvels at their creation. Ethel describes Maggie as a serious, observant child who can switch to fits of giggles. Myrtle arrives with a gift: a little white stuffed dog. Maggie immediately clutches it and says “Daawg.” She is nearly walking, holding onto furniture and taking brave steps, and she speaks three clear words: Mama, Dadda, and Dog.

The family continues to give Maggie a small drink of spring water each day, noting that her health declines if they stop. They talk about their future at Sparrow Crest in Brandenburg, where Will has hired quarrymen and stone carvers from Barre to enlarge the small pool behind the old hotel into one nearly six times its size. The house will be built alongside the pool, with the kitchen door opening onto the patio. Workmen have cleared the charred timbers and rubble from the hotel, but at Ethel's request, they left the rose garden intact. Ethel plans to keep it as a tribute to Eliza Harding and the hotel that once stood there, and she has been studying rose care.

Myrtle tells Maggie she will miss her, calling her “little sparrow.” Ethel invites Myrtle to visit often, but Myrtle flinches and avoids eye contact. Ethel knows Myrtle will never return to that water. Myrtle asks Ethel to write often to let her know they're all right. Ethel wraps her arms around Maggie protectively. Will laughs, saying they'll be better than all right—they're moving into the house of their dreams, a castle. Ethel smiles and nods, hiding a kernel of dread. She knows the water keeps Maggie alive, but the idea of living beside that pool unsettles her. She burns her fingers on a match to pull herself back to the present, reminding herself she is Mrs. Monroe having a party for her daughter. They sing “Happy Birthday,” and Ethel makes a wish: “May we always be this happy, this safe.”

June 26, 1931 – Will returns from Vermont with jars and bottles of water for Maggie and news of the house. The main timbers are up, and the house looks like a great skeleton. Trucks couldn't get up the road because of a flooded brook, so they hired teams of horses to pull the final load of timbers. Will is filthy, exhausted, and has lost weight. Ethel worries that supervising the building is consuming him. When he's not at the site, he's drawing plans, making lists, and sketching details like the built-in bench and the newel post. He has changed the kitchen window location four or five times. He often works all night.

Will is having trouble keeping workers; men leave without notice. The foreman, Mr. Galletti, seemed capable but now Will has doubts. They are weeks behind schedule. Will tells Ethel he has instructed Galletti to double the crew, despite the cost. Ethel asks if they can afford it; Will admits they are already over budget but says it's worth it to have a home for her and Maggie.

August 2, 1931 – Will returns after being away for over a week. He looks exhausted, thin, and sickly. Ethel offers him dinner and brandy, but he says he has news. He announces they are moving to Sparrow Crest next week. The house isn't finished, but the roof is on and the outside walls are up. Will is having the men finish the bedroom and bathroom, and the stove will arrive tomorrow. He says it will be a great adventure and that being there will make the men work harder. Ethel is stunned, only able to say “Oh.” Will embraces her and says they can start packing tonight.

Key Events

Maggie's first birthday celebration with paper hats, cake, and a silly song.
Myrtle gives Maggie a stuffed dog and calls her “little sparrow.”
Ethel requests that the rose garden be preserved as a tribute to Eliza Harding.
Will's obsessive planning and construction delays at Sparrow Crest.
Worker turnover and financial strain as Will doubles the crew.
Will announces they will move to the unfinished house the following week.

Character Development

Ethel – Ethel is torn between her love for her family and her growing unease about the water. She hides her dread from Will, forcing herself to smile and nod. Her wish for safety reveals her anxiety. She also shows a protective instinct, wrapping her arms around Maggie when Myrtle expresses concern. Her decision to preserve the rose garden shows her desire to honor the past, even as she moves toward an uncertain future.

Will – Will's obsession with Sparrow Crest becomes all-consuming. He works through the night, changes plans repeatedly, and pushes the construction forward despite delays and costs. His exhaustion and weight loss suggest the toll it takes. His decision to move into an unfinished house shows his impatience and his belief that being on-site will solve problems. He remains optimistic, calling it a “great adventure,” but his frantic smile hints at desperation.

Myrtle – Myrtle's flinch and averted eyes when invited to visit reveal her fear of the water. She knows she will never return, and her request for letters suggests she expects something to go wrong. Her nickname “little sparrow” for Maggie ties into the bird imagery that recurs in the chapter.

Maggie – Maggie is developing normally, walking and talking. Her dependence on the spring water is a constant reminder of the family's reliance on the mysterious source. Her laughter and joy contrast with the underlying tension.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Water as life source – The daily spring water keeps Maggie healthy; without it, she declines. This establishes the water's power and the family's dependence, even as they plan to live beside it.
Bird imagery – Will's song about a girl who is a bird, Myrtle calling Maggie “little sparrow,” and the house name “Sparrow Crest” all connect to freedom, fragility, and perhaps a sense of being trapped.
The rose garden – Ethel's tribute to Eliza Harding symbolizes memory and the attempt to preserve something beautiful from the past, even as the hotel is gone.
Dream home vs. reality – Will's vision of a castle clashes with the unfinished, skeleton-like house and the construction problems. The gap between aspiration and actuality grows.
Denial and distance – Ethel keeps the future at a distance, calling it a “made-up story.” She hides her fear, and Myrtle refuses to visit. Both characters use denial to cope.
Sacrifice for child – The family is willing to move to an unfinished house and endure financial strain to keep Maggie healthy, showing their devotion but also their blindness to potential dangers.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter sets the stage for the family's move to Sparrow Crest, which is central to the novel's plot. It establishes the water's life-giving yet ominous nature, the characters' conflicting emotions, and the seeds of Will's obsession. Ethel's hidden dread foreshadows the troubles to come, while Myrtle's refusal to return to the water hints at the danger. The rose garden and bird imagery add layers of symbolism that will likely resonate later. The chapter also deepens our understanding of Ethel's internal conflict and Will's single-mindedness, making the impending move feel both inevitable and fraught.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Ethel hide her unease about living beside the pool?

Ethel hides her dread because she believes the water is necessary for Maggie's health. She tells herself that what they are doing is for the best, and she wants to appear supportive of Will's dream. She also uses the birthday wish and the physical pain of burning her fingers to ground herself in the present, suppressing her fears to maintain the appearance of a happy family.

2. What does the rose garden symbolize for Ethel?

The rose garden is a tribute to Eliza Harding and the hotel that once stood there. By preserving it, Ethel attempts to honor the past and maintain a connection to something beautiful and meaningful. It also represents her desire to keep a piece of the old life even as she moves into an uncertain future, and it may symbolize her hope that something can survive the destruction.

3. How does Will's behavior in this chapter reveal his state of mind?

Will's obsessive planning, sleepless nights, and repeated changes to details show his intense focus on making Sparrow Crest perfect. His exhaustion and weight loss indicate the toll it takes. His decision to move into an unfinished house and his frantic smile suggest impatience and perhaps a desperate need to control the situation. He dismisses Ethel's concerns and frames the move as an adventure, revealing his denial of the risks.