Tourist Season Chapter 7: Sweethearts – Summary & 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.
Summary
In May, shortly before graduation, Garland McKenney navigates the Sweetheart River in her motorboat to reach Clarence's secret fish camp. The journey takes far longer than promised, and she arrives after dark stranded for the night. At the camp, Garland recalls meeting Sheriff Clarence Coffey at a school drug assembly the previous November, their subsequent affair, and her growing discomfort with their secrecy. That night, Clarence brings another woman, Shelley, to the camp without warning. Feeling betrayed, Garland brandishes Clarence's revolver, orders them into a boat, and forces them to leave. After they disappear, she removes the taxidermied animal trophies, douses the cabin with gasoline, and burns it down. Returning home, she lies to her father and later discovers her dog Judy has been poisoned. Certain Clarence killed Judy, Garland flees Sweetheart, leaving a note for the housekeeper Carlene. Carlene receives the letter and later receives a phone call from Garland in New York City.
Key Events
- Garland departs for Clarence's fish camp at five o'clock on a May afternoon.
- She follows bandanna-marked trees and runs into unfamiliar, narrow channels.
- After nearly two hours, she arrives at the isolated camp and realizes she must spend the night.
- Clarence greets her, but they argue over his deception about the distance.
- The chapter flashes back to November: Garland volunteers at a drug assembly and meets Sheriff Clarence.
- Their first date at the shell mound, where they view a Potano Indian skeleton, leads to physical intimacy.
- Garland keeps the affair secret from her friends and father; only Carlene suspects.
- In April, they stay at a friend's house; Garland steals a slip and leaves her thong as a prank.
- At the fish camp, Clarence introduces Shelley as a "party" companion.
- Garland, furious, picks up Clarence's revolver, orders him and Shelley into a boat, and forces them to leave.
- She burns the camp and removes the stuffed animal heads.
- After returning home, Garland learns Judy has been poisoned and believes Clarence is responsible.
- Garland writes a farewell note to Carlene and leaves Sweetheart.
- Carlene receives the note and later a phone call from Garland in New York.
Character Development
Garland McKenney: In this chapter, Garland moves from a naive, infatuated teenager to a young woman capable of violent retaliation. Her willingness to brandish a gun and destroy the camp shows a new assertiveness and a break from Clarence's control. The loss of Judy and her decision to flee Sweetheart mark a definitive end to her childhood.
Clarence Coffey: The sheriff is revealed as manipulative and self-serving. He lies about the distance to the camp to trap Garland overnight, and he orchestrates a threesome without her consent. His threat ("You're going to be good and sorry") shows his vengeful side.
Carlene: The housekeeper emerges as a maternal figure who has long worried about Garland. Her quiet suspicion and loyalty become clear through her reaction to the note and phone call. She is a stable presence contrasts with the chaos around Garland.
Eastman McKenney: Garland's father remains emotionally distant. He barely responds to her distress, and his coldness drives her further away.
Judy: Garland's dog is a loyal companion and symbolic protector. Her poisoning is the final blow that pushes Garland to leave.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Power and Control: The chapter explores shifting power dynamics. Clarence initially holds all the cards—age, authority, secrecy—but Garland seizes control by turning his own gun on him and later by burning his sanctuary.
Betrayal: Clarence's introduction of Shelley without warning is a profound betrayal of trust. Garland's response—violence and arson—represents her refusal to be a passive victim.
Wilderness as Isolation and Freedom: The bayou's maze-like channels symbolize Garland's entrapment in the affair, but it also provides a space where she can act without witnesses. The fish camp is both a love nest and a prison.
Death and Rebirth: The constant presence of dead animals (the skeleton, taxidermied heads) foreshadows the destruction of the camp and the end of Garland's former life. Judy's death is a sacrifice that catalyzes Garland's new beginning.
The Sweetheart River: The river's name contrasts with its dangerous reality. It is a place of beauty and death, love and violence.
Why This Chapter Matters
"Sweethearts" is the emotional and plot pivot of Garland's story. It details the entire arc of her relationship with Clarence—from its romanticized beginning to its corrupt conclusion. The chapter establishes Clarence as a credible antagonist and Garland's radical response as a turning point. By burning the camp and leaving Sweetheart, Garland rejects the town's smallness, her father's neglect, and her own past compliance. This chapter also introduces Carlene as a deeper character and sets up Garland's escape to New York, which will shape the rest of the novel.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Garland decide to burn the fish camp after forcing Clarence and Shelley to leave?
Garland has just been betrayed by the man she trusted. The camp, with its taxidermied animal heads, represents Clarence's obsession with conquest and control. Burning it is a symbolic act of erasing their relationship and reclaiming her agency. The fire physically destroys the site of her humiliation and sends a clear message that she will not be a trophy.
2. How does the author use the setting of the Sweetheart River and bayou to enhance the tension of the chapter?
The river is described as dark, narrow, and disorienting. Garland's long journey, the bandanna markers, and the submerged john boat as a "no trespassing" sign create a sense of isolation and danger. The swamp's noises at night amplify her fear. The setting makes the camp feel like a trap, and the difficulty of escape mirrors Garland's emotional entrapment.
3. In what ways does Carlene function as a moral compass in this chapter?
Carlene is the only person who suspects Garland's secret and tries to warn her. Her advice ("men will promise you anything but they give you about six inches") proves prophetic. After Garland flees, Carlene receives the note and later the phone call, showing her enduring concern. Unlike Eastman, Carlene pays attention and cares, though her authority is limited by her role and race.