ONLINE STUDY NOTES: THE CIDER HOUSE RULES BY JOHN IRVING

CHAPTER 6 - Ocean View

Summary

Mrs. Grogan believed Melony, now 24 or 25 years old, should have more responsibilities. Dr. Larch agreed to meet with Melony and give her more responsibilities. In the meantime, Larch began to read the mail that he had allowed to pile up since Homer had left. Olive Worthington sent him a donation for the orphanage and praised Homer’s politeness and industriousness. Homer had asked that she send any wages he earned minus his keep to the orphanage.

Mary Agnes, the second oldest girl, had restolen again the barrette she stole from Candy back from Melony. Angry, Melony broke her collarbone. She then met with Larch. Larch asked her if she was interested in working in the hospital. Melony said that “pretty recently” she had heard a bone break. She was not interested in working in the hospital; she thought it would make her sick. When Nursed Edna called Larch to help Mary Agnes, he realized just how recently Melony had heard the bone break. Melony declined his offer to see how broken bones are set.

Melony began to read Little Dorrit. First, she tried to picture the sunshine in Marseilles, and then began daydreaming about Homer. The setting of Little Dorrit moved from the sunshine into a prison, which was “like a well, like a vault, like a tomb.” Melony stopped reading. She stripped off a pillowcase from another bed and stuffed it with toilet articles, clothes, and Jane Eyre. She then robbed Mrs. Grogan of what money she had and took Mrs. Grogan’s winter coat and got on the next train to Livermore. Livermore was easy enough to remember, so when Larch and Grogan came asking, the stupid young stationmaster would be able to tell them where she went. She wondered if she had enough money to get to Portland, Maine, the coast. She thought that the Cadillac with its Ocean View Orchards monogram might be nearby. She was determined to find Homer.

With Homer and Melony gone, Larch again took up the duty of reading to the boys and girls. He tried to read Little Dorrit to the..........

Notes

Irving moves us from the isolation of St. Cloud’s into society. In Heart’s Haven and Heart’s Rock, Homer begins to experience what life outside an orphanage is like. But, even as Homer learns new things, he realizes that he cannot forget the old and that St. Cloud’s will always be with him. This is shown in the........

The Cider House Rules by John Irving: Free BookNotes Summary

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